Everything you need to know about cladding: how to check whether your home is fire safe and what to do if it's not

Here's what to do if the cladding on your flat isn't up to standard.
Grenfell Tower in North Kensington
PA
Ruth Bloomfield29 August 2019

Fire safety in tall buildings has become a complex issue since the disaster at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington.

The 24-storey block was clad in aluminium composite material or ACM which is now known to be dangerously combustible.

Blocks with cladding need to be inspected to ensure they comply — a job which should be carried out by the managing agent or building owner.

In July the Government’s expert panel on fire safety said high pressure laminate, or HPL, cladding panels, often made from compressed wood and paper, could also be unsafe.

What are the most dangerous forms of cladding?

As well as ACM and HPL, the Government is concerned about Metal Composite Materials (MCM), cladding faced with zinc, copper or steel.

And earlier this summer a block of flats in Barking was ravaged by fire. The timber cladding on its balconies was blamed for the rapid spread of the blaze.

How do I find out if my current home, or somewhere I am planning to buy or rent, is safe?

Rituparna Saha of the UK Cladding Action Group says the only way to be sure is to see a fire safety report carried out after December 2018 when the Government updated its advice on fire safety in tall buildings.

How many unsafe flats are there in London?

Until every building that does not meet the Government’s updated fire safety standards has been assessed, nobody actually knows.

Why won’t buildings insurance cover the cost of replacing dangerous cladding?

Insurance firms are arguing that if a block met safety standards when built it is not their responsibility to act.

Owners of new builds with a National House Building Council warranty in place might be able to reclaim the costs, but success rates have been variable.

Will my housebuilder step in to remove cladding?

Maybe. Some developers have had cladding removed at their own cost, others have refused.

What can I do if my home is not fire safe?

If you are a renter and you are concerned, you could simply move on. If you own a property you could pay for the work yourself.

Rituparna Saha says the estimated cost per flat is from £20,000 to £90,000.

If you are willing and able to meet the cost, and all your neighbours feel the same way, you could take matters into your own hands.

If not, your only option is to put as much pressure on the building owner as possible.

Petitions, social media campaigns, demonstrations and lobbying your MP are all worth doing.

But even though big companies hate bad publicity, there are no guarantees.

Can I sue my housebuilder?

A group of owners at New Capital Quay, in Greenwich, are pioneering this approach by bringing a case against Galliard Homes and Roamquest Ltd, a firm owned by Galliard Homes Ltd, under the Defective Premises Act (1972) which, if successful, could act as a test case.

The NHBC is paying for remedial works at the 11 New Capital Quay blocks but this will not be completed until 2021.

The residents are claiming for other costs including loss of income, reduction in property value, insurance premium increases and distress and inconvenience.

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