Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Building Safety Costs: Support for Leaseholders

Monday 27 March 2023 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Building Safety Act 2022 provides protections for leaseholders in buildings above 11 metres.
  • Developers associated with landlords are required to pay for non-cladding work.
  • Department is working closely with the Association of British Insurers to find industry solutions for reducing insurance costs.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Marsha de Cordova Lab Battersea
Housing
Context

Leaseholders in Battersea are facing significant costs due to building safety issues, particularly for buildings under 11 metres that have not received support under the Building Safety Act 2022.

Question

Whether he is taking steps to support leaseholders with building safety costs. It is a national disgrace that nearly six years on from the Grenfell tragedy, leaseholders in Battersea are still stuck in buildings under 11 metres. The Secretary of State's case-by-case assessment approach does not address the risk and vulnerability faced by these residents.

Answer from Lee Rowley

The Building Safety Act 2022 provides protections for leaseholders in buildings above 11 metres. Developers associated with landlords are required to pay for non-cladding work. Buildings under 11 metres typically have a lower set of issues as assessed by PAS 9980 principles. The Government is open to reviewing individual cases and has reviewed one such case in Romford last week.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to allocate resources based on risk for buildings under 11 metres

How: Case-By-Case Assessment, Pas 9980 Principles

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Q2 Marsha de Cordova Lab Battersea
Housing Environment
Context

Leaseholders in Battersea are still facing significant costs due to building safety issues, particularly for buildings under 11 metres that have not received support under the Building Safety Act 2022.

Question

It is a national disgrace that nearly six years on from Grenfell, leaseholders are stuck in buildings under 11 metres with more vulnerable people and greater fire safety defects. When will the Government allocate resources based on risk?

Answer from Lee Rowley

Buildings under 11 metres typically have a lower set of issues when reviewed by PAS 9980 principles. The Government is reviewing individual cases and has reviewed one such case in Romford last week.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to allocate resources based on risk for buildings under 11 metres

How: Pas 9980 Principles

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Q3 Stephen Metcalfe Con
Taxation Housing
Context

Leaseholders are paying high insurance premiums due to building safety concerns, beyond the funding required for remediation measures.

Question

The cost to leaseholders does not just end with funding safety measures; many are paying extortionate insurance premiums. What discussions have been had with the Treasury about reducing these costs and making them more affordable?

Answer from Lee Rowley

The Department is working closely with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to find industry solutions for reducing insurance costs as remediation progresses. The Secretary spoke with the ABI last week and will continue regular meetings to address this issue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to specific actions by the Treasury to reduce insurance premiums

How: Industry Solutions, Regular Meetings With Abi

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Q4 Matthew Pennycook Lab Greenwich and Woolwich
Context

While the developer remediation contract is welcome, it is unclear whether all relevant developers will be covered initially or in the future. Leaseholders need certainty regarding their buildings' inclusion.

Question

The developer remediation contract and responsible actors scheme are welcome but only cover a fraction of the problem. Will the Government commit to publishing a full list of eligible developers now?

Answer from Lee Rowley

The developer contract has already confirmed work on more than 1,100 buildings with £2 billion of funding covering 44 different developers. The Government will review individual cases and has extensive support schemes in place for remediation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to publishing a full list of eligible developers now

How: Extensive Support Schemes, Individual Case Reviews

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