Concern as lack of funding delays fire safety work in private towers

by NADEEM BADSHAH

A CAMPAIGNER living in a tower block that is covered in Grenfellstyle cladding has called for ministers to launch an urgent fund in order to get unsafe material removed from all homes.

Ritu Saha has spoken of her frustration at the battle that residents in the Northpoint block in south London have had to get the cladding replaced since 2017.

Saha, who is among residents carrying out night patrols to ensure their neighbours’ safety, is a member of the UK Cladding Action Group which is demanding action to make homes across the country safe.

June will mark two years since the blaze at Grenfell Tower, in Kensington, west London, which killed 72 people and injured many more. Since the fire, only 10 of the 173 private buildings found to have combustible cladding have been fixed while rows rumble on over who should foot the repair bill.

Saha, whose group is set to host a forum for MPs in May to discuss an action plan, told Eastern Eye: “The government’s tactic has been coaxing freeholders and developers into paying. Legally there is nothing they can do to make them fix the cladding.

“The cladding was passed fit at the time. Developers are laughing at the government. They are passing on the costs to leaseholders.

“The government should step up and say the buildings are unsafe and set up a fund to fix the problem on these buildings.”

Saha, who came to the UK from Kolkata in 2009, added: “It is incredibly frustrating. There’s been very little progress. It’s quite upsetting, as a lot of people lost their lives in this tragedy.

“I wouldn’t think this would happen in a developed country like the United Kingdom.

“None of this is our fault. We bought the flat in good faith.” Saha purchased the apartment in Bromley with her husband in 2015. Two years later, cladding similar to Grenfell was found on the building, with estimates of £3£4 million to get it removed. Residents have seen their service charges soar to pay for fire safely patrols, with some volunteering in the evenings and overnight.

Saha, a university administrator, said: “We put our life savings into buying it.

“All these flats are now worthless. We can’t sell, lots of banks are refusing to remortgage.

“Many residents are doing patrols from 7pm­midnight. My neighbour does midnight to 7am. The service charge increased for [fire safety patrols]. Many people fell into arrears due to these sums.

“We keep having the government say the priority is people are safe. [But] It is us residents paying through our nose and our time to ensure we are safe on patrols or paying fire wardens.”

Similar cladding to Grenfell has been used on 433 high­rise residential and public buildings in England. Of the council and housing association blocks affected, 79 per cent have construction works under way or have been fixed, compared to 11 per cent of the private towers, according to figures published in March.

The government has set aside £400 million to fix social housing, but nothing for private homes.

Last year, communities secretary James Brokenshire wrote to around 60 building owners and developers, calling on landlords to pay towards replacing the unsafe materials. A few freeholders and developers have offered to pay, but most are refusing or are passing the cost onto the leaseholders.

Saha added: “Developers like Carillion don’t exist any more, they have gone into liquidation.

“Our developer didn’t have anything to do with the cladding put up, that’s their point of view.

“There are lots of families with little children and retired residents. A fire from the bottom would stretch to the top. We feel abandoned.”

Brokenshire has told leaseholders the government will fund councils to remove dangerous cladding, costs that they will recover from building owners. He said a “joint inspection team” being recruited by his department will explore how it can support the council to take action on Northpoint.

Earlier this month, Brokenshire told MPs: “A growing list of companies, such as Barratt, Mace and Legal & General, are doing the right thing and taking responsibility. In addition, warranty providers have accepted claims on a number of buildings. I urge all owners and developers to follow the lead of those companies and step up to make sure this work is done.

“This is a priority for me. I know the work needs to be advanced more quickly, and I am considering all other options if it is not.”