Homeowners face flammable cladding crisis

The Government faces pressure to save homeowners from ruinous repair costs amid a cladding crisis that is three times larger than previously thought, threatening to derail Britain's property market. 

 

As many as one in every six properties could be affected because many blocks of flats were built with potentially flammable materials, much like those used on Grenfell Tower.

 

According to an industry register, the New Build Database, homeowners in 4.6 million flats could see their homes declared unsaleable until crucial tests take place. Issues have been uncovered at thousands of blocks and lenders will not offer mortgages on those flats until they have passed fire safety checks. Homeowners fear the repair costs will be passed on to them, even though they bought their homes in good faith.

 

Tory backbenchers have called for a revamp to new fire safety laws in order to protect homeowners. An amendment to the Fire Safety Bill has been tabled by MPs Stephen McPartland and Royston Smith and signed by a dozen Conservatives, including former cabinet minister Damian Green. The amendment would prevent remediation costs being passed on to residents.

 

Similarly the Liberal Democrats have proposed a similar amendment, although the party has indicated it will also back other proposals. Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, said it was "a terrible injustice that people are stuck in fire-trap homes".

 

The New Build Database said approximately 870,000 problem properties are in buildings above 18m (59ft) tall with a further 3.7 million homes in mid-rise blocks between 11m and 18m. Many of these buildings do not have visible cladding but were built using potentially unsafe insulation or fire protection.

 

A spokesman for the ministry of housing, communities and local government said it was working to solve the cladding crisis and that it "doesn't recognise this analysis" .

 

 

E&K Solicitors

Rusholme