A new government service to hold building owners to account for remediation works has been launched.
Under the new Leaseholder and Resident Service, those living in tower blocks will have access to updates on the status of their building’s application to the government’s Building Safety Fund. This will ultimately enable leaseholders to understand where there building stands in the overall process.
The service is designed to speed up the process of removing unsafe non-ACM cladding from the highest risk buildings, forcing building owners to be more transparent, exposing those who fail to act.
This is one of a number of steps announced by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities this month to apply pressure on the industry and protect leaseholders from unnecessary delays.
Minister of State for Building Safety and Fire, Lord Greenhalgh, says: “It is unacceptable that four years after the Grenfell tragedy innocent leaseholders are still living in buildings with unsafe cladding.
“Building owners are responsible for making their building’s safe, and we will no longer allow them to shirk from their duties and hide behind processes and corporate loopholes.
“Everyone, including leaseholders – has the right to know what is happening with their building and to live safely. Today’s launch is a key step in providing them with both the service and peace of mind they deserve.”
The launch of this online service comes after Michael Gove gave a statement at the House of Commons on 10th January, promising that leaseholders would no longer be forced to pay for the fixing of unsafe cladding, instead, building owners and the industry would foot the bill.
Under this new service, a unique code will enable leaseholders and residents to track the progress of their application through an online service, with information updated monthly.
Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, says: “Greater transparency over the progress of Building Safety Fund applications is a positive move, providing welcome information to residents in buildings across the country who have been living with uncertainty about their safety and their future.
“Housing associations are committed to working with the government to tackle the building safety crisis and support all efforts to protect leaseholders from costs.”
