People living in high-rise buildings are able to access updates on the status of the building’s application to the government’s Building Safety Fund through the Leaseholder and Resident Service.

The new service, launched by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) on 20 January 2022, is designed to speed up the process of removing unsafe non-ACM cladding from the highest risk buildings. It is hoped the new service will force building owners to be more transparent and expose those who have failed to act in regard to the safety of their buildings.

Through the use of a unique code, leaseholders will be able to track the progress of their building’s application through an online service where the information will be updated monthly.

Leaseholders are encouraged by DLUHC to keep track of their building’s application and help apply pressure on their building owners where the action is needed. Leaseholders should also contact owners if they do not receive their unique code, which may also come directly from the UK Government.

Building safety funding

An inquiry into building safety funding has been launched by the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee after Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, announced that property developers should be responsible for the £4 billion cost of cladding removal.

The inquiry invites the industry to submit its opinion whether the announcement by Gove signals enough action being taken, whether the announcement will impact the delivery of affordable housing and what the industry would like to see in the funding arrangement.

The closing date for submissions is 16 February 2022.

Clive BettsChair | LUHC Committee

The Secretary of State’s announcements on 10 January were a welcome step towards finally addressing the question of meeting the costs of making residential blocks safe rather than dumping the burden on flat owners.

Leaseholders should not be liable for the costs of removing hazardous cladding from their buildings nor the additional work necessary to make their flats safe.

In our new inquiry, we want to examine the effectiveness and impact of the government’s planned measures to make developers and the industry pay.

TAKE PART IN THE INQUIRY…