Leaseholders Residential Building Remediation 2023-10-16
2023-10-16
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The question arises from ongoing issues faced by leaseholders in buildings affected by cladding and non-cladding defects.
What recent progress has been made on supporting leaseholders with (a) cladding and (b) non-cladding remediation to residential buildings?
The Government expect those who have caused defects to step up to solve them. As the House is aware, 50 developers have now signed contracts to resolve cladding and non-cladding defects in more than 1,100 buildings. For other properties, the Government are making extensive taxpayer subsidy available to support cladding remediation, along with other mechanisms to pursue those who are responsible.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
A constituent faces significant financial burden to fix fire safety defects in an under-11 meter building, described as a 'never-ending nightmare'.
Help for people living in under-11 metre buildings that have fire safety defects does not go far enough because of the huge amount of money involved. One of my constituents has described her experience as a “never-ending nightmare”. Will the Minister bring that nightmare to an end for constituents such as mine who are forced to pay to fix the mistakes of others?
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for raising a specific question about under-11 metre properties. Every property, be it over or under 11 metres, needs a fire risk assessment, and I encourage her constituent to ensure that a fire risk appraisal of external walls is undertaken against that property.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific measures beyond encouraging constituents to undertake assessments
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
A constituent faces significant costs to remediate cladding defects in an under-11 meter building, described as unaffordable and potentially bankrupting.
I have written to the Minister about a constituent of mine who is a leaseholder living in an under-11 metre property and so is not protected by the Building Safety Act 2022. The cladding costs alone will be well over £100,000 and any non-cladding costs will be substantial. That is completely unaffordable for my constituent and it will bankrupt him. So when will the Minister provide a full update, which was promised to me back on 18 August?
As I say, if the hon. Lady wishes to raise the case of this individual building once again with me or talk to me separately outside, I will be happy to enable that. For every under-11 metre building we are made aware of as requiring additional remediation, we are going through and checking things, and compiling audits, where necessary, to get to the bottom of it.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a full update but offered to discuss case separately
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The question references a previous assurance given by the Secretary of State to end feudal form of tenure and ensure individuals have full rights over their property.
Does the necessity for the Government to take that sort of action show the danger that leaseholders are under from the abuse of freeholders' power? May I, through him, gently remind the Secretary of State of an assurance he gave me when talking about leasehold?
My right hon. Friend knows that I am not able to anticipate what will be in the King's Speech. We are clear that, particularly with regard to remediation, some freeholders have stepped up and should be credited for doing so, but others have absolutely not done so.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm if assurance is included in the King's Speech but acknowledged issues related to freeholders stepping up
Response accuracy
Q5
Direct Answer
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Context
The question focuses on the need for action against developers who refuse to carry out remediation work, leaving leaseholders in peril.
I congratulate my hon. Friend on the action he and the Secretary of State are taking against developers that refuse to remediate tall buildings. What action will he now propose to take against developers that deliberately do not carry out this work and leave leaseholders with their lives in peril and potentially not able to sell or even insure their properties?
As my hon. Friend is aware, we are ensuring that developers uphold the promises they have made, through the developer contract and through the responsible actors scheme, which makes sure that if they fail to do so they could, in extremis, be banned from building in this country again.
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Assessment & feedback
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Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
The question addresses the approach taken by the Department of Building Safety, following criticism in The Guardian about a 'do nothing' approach.
More than six years on from the Grenfell disaster, where 72 people lost their lives, Sam, a disabled resident in a Galliard Homes building, is one of the hundreds of thousands of people still trapped in buildings that have not been remediated. Is this the new “do nothing” approach from the Department to building safety that was highlighted in The Guardian today, an approach that forced the resignation of a senior civil servant from the Department?
I think that question is somewhat beneath the hon. Gentleman, but let me state clearly what the Government are doing. They have recognised that there is an issue and have legislated to resolve that. They are working extremely hard to ensure that developers are held to account for that, and over the past few months, they have had success in ensuring that that process takes place.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address the specific allegations about 'do nothing' approach but discussed general actions taken by government
Personal Insult
Changed Subject
Response accuracy