Asked by: Louise Ellman (Independent - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many blocks of flats which have been found to have dangerous cladding after the Grenfell Tower disaster are owned by freeholders who have not funded removal of that cladding; and if he will he make a statement.
Answered by Dominic Raab
As of 14 June 2018, from the results of Building Research Establishment large-scale system tests and the information provided to us by local authorities we know of 297 private sector residential buildings with cladding systems that are unlikely to meet current Building Regulations guidance. Local authorities have told us about plans for remediating 72 buildings. Of these, 21 buildings have started remediation, of which 4 have completed.
We have made it clear that we expect building owners and industry to explore all options to protect leaseholders from incurring the costs associated with replacing unsafe cladding. Some in the sector, such as Barratt Developments, Legal & General and Taylor Wimpey, are doing the right thing and taking responsibility. We want others to follow their lead and we will continue to encourage them to do so. They must do the right thing, and if they do not, we are not ruling anything out at this stage.
Asked by: Louise Ellman (Independent - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government of 16 May 2018, Official Report, column 399,what discussions he has had with Abacus Land 4 Ltd, the freeholder at Heysmoor Heights in Liverpool, in relation to funding cladding removal; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Dominic Raab
I spoke with Richard Silva, the Chief Executive of Long Harbour which administer Abacus Land 4 Ltd, on 23 May. Mr Silva informed me that Abacus Land 4 Ltd is owned by pension fund holders. I affirmed the Government's position that leaseholders should not have to pay for the removal and replacement of unsafe aluminium composite material cladding in the Heysmoor Heights building.
We expect building owners in the private sector to explore all options to protect leaseholders from incurring the costs associated with replacing unsafe cladding. The Secretary of State recently held roundtables with leaseholders to understand their concerns and with industry to discuss the barriers to remediation and potential solutions. We are considering the proposals made and have not ruled out any options.
Asked by: Louise Ellman (Independent - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make representations to the freeholders of Heysmoor Heights, Liverpool on the funding the fire safety measures required after the Grenfell Tower tragedy as a result of the decision by the owners of Cityscape to fund their fire safety measures; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Building owners should do all they can to protect leaseholders from costs arising from fire safety works in buildings clad with potentially unsafe aluminium composite material cladding – either funding it themselves or looking at alternative routes such as insurance claims, warranties or legal action. This could include working with the developer to reach a solution which avoids costs being passed to leaseholders. In the case of Citiscape, the decision to cover costs was made by the original developer, not the current owner. I have also arranged to speak with the agent of Heysmoor Heights’ freeholder regarding the costs of remediation.