Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution of 26 March 2024 by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety, Official Report, column 1415, whether remediation contribution orders taken out by his Department will (a) recover and (b) reimburse funds paid by leaseholders.

The department has applied for remediation contribution orders relating to building safety works against three companies, specifically:

• £20.5 million from Yianis Group for Canary Riverside
• £46 million from Urban Splash for seven buildings in Manchester. These are: The Box Works, Burton Place, Chips Building, Christabel, Emmeline, Sylvia and Moho Building, all in Manchester
• £3.4 million from Hollybrook for one building in London

The aim of these orders is to recoup as much of the costs related to building remediation as possible, regardless of the organisation or individual who made the original payment. This could include, for example, the cost of waking watch, replacement of balconies or associated enabling works.

Where costs are recovered through the First Tier Tribunal decision, be they all or part of those requested, the intention is they are refunded to whichever organisation or individual paid for them, whether taxpayer, leaseholder or otherwise. The action also aims to prevent leaseholders from having to pay costs for works not yet completed, including where leaseholders are non-qualifying.