0:01 AM, 25th March 2025, About 2 months ago 1
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Eight years after the tragic Grenfell Tower blaze, the cladding crisis nightmare continues, leaving countless residents in limbo, a Parliamentary committee reports.
A scathing report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has slammed the Government for failing to grasp the full scope of hazardous buildings, the staggering costs involved, or a realistic timeline for resolution.
It says the crisis inflicts a devastating emotional and financial burden, potentially affecting up to three million individuals.
The PAC expressed horror at evidence revealing homeowners stuck in perilous properties, grappling with uncertainty and unable to relocate due to unsellable homes.
Propertymark’s policy officer, Henry Griffith, said: “The Public Accounts Committee report on the remediation of dangerous cladding confirms exactly what Propertymark has said about the lack of progress to remediate unsafe cladding.
“The current situation is untenable and is causing many flat sales to stall.”
He added: “We welcome many of the recommendations for the Ministry of Housing, including a review of insurance rates, reducing costs for leaseholders and reporting on its efforts to accelerate cladding.”
The committee also pointed to delays in starting safety works, exacerbated by ongoing disputes, while a promised formal resolution process remains elusive.
Soaring insurance costs loom as a long-term threat for those in affected blocks, with the Government accused of doing too little to ease the strain.
The Committee is demanding clarity on how ministers plan to prioritise residents in their lagging remediation efforts and presses for action to slash crippling insurance premiums.
Last year, the Government outlined a goal to finish repairs on all structures over 18 metres and set completion dates for those above 11 metres by 2029—12 years post-Grenfell.
Yet, the PAC echoes campaigners’ fears that this timetable lacks ambition and risks falling short, especially with up to 7,000 unsafe buildings still unaccounted for.
Also, efforts to extract funding from cladding manufacturers remain stalled, while shortages in skilled workers, regulators, and local councils further jeopardise progress.
The Committee chair, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said: “The Grenfell Tower fire will forever be a badge of shame for the nation.
“But eight years after Grenfell, it is still not known how many buildings out there have dangerous cladding, and when it will be removed.
“That vow remains unkept for every day that is still the case.”
He added: “I was utterly appalled by the evidence given to our inquiry, showing residents still mired in the national cladding crisis, with no immediate solutions at hand.
“Leaseholders with modest financial means can often be left with potentially large financial liabilities, effectively rendering their property unsaleable.”
Stuart Rothwell
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Sign Up15:32 PM, 25th March 2025, About 2 months ago
Not too sure this is entirely fair or even the case. My wife works for one of the housebuilders involved and has, in the past, been left tearing her hair out at the Government failing to provide clear guidance on exactly what they want. On other occasions by the government changing its mind about what it wants housebuilders to do. She has also worked overtime to compile a comprehensive list of buildings affected and knows other housebuilders have done the same.