It’s more than a year on from the Grenfell Tower fire which saw 72 people killed, but the inquiry is still underway to decipher exactly what it is we have learned from the tragedy. Whilst the inquiry is continuing to present new issues which may have contributed to the fire and the subsequent death of so many of the residents, the concern which has proven to be contributory is the cladding used to insulate the building itself. This is an issue that many UK landlords will now have to be aware of, especially commercial property owners or HMO landlords who are responsible for one or more multi-storey property.
The specific offending cladding is aluminium composite material (ACM), which has proven to be unsafe. Landlords and homeowners across the UK are warned that if they do not remove the dangerous cladding, they could face council enforcement action. The Government has committed to pay £400million towards removing any of this type of cladding used on social housing blocks, but otherwise it is up to property owners and developers to ensure that they comply with its removal. The Government’s Communities Secretary, James Brokenshire, has already contacted 60 landlords and developers to explain what action they must take to avoid being penalised for using this Grenfell-style wall cladding. In the meantime, fire safety specialists recommend taking certain precautions until the cladding can be replaced.
There are still many more private sector landlords who own properties which are unlikely to comply with the current building regulations taking into account this dangerous cladding. As of August 2018 there were nearly 200 of the 293 recorded to be likely to fall below these standards who had failed to send their action plan for improvements to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). As a specialist in housing and property litigation law, Manjinder Kaur Atwal, is experienced in acting for private landlords in a range of housing disputes, including when council enforcement action is brought against them. As a solicitor and Director, Manjinder has over 10 years’ experience dealing with a diverse caseload, from small claims cases to multi-track cases, and undertakes her own advocacy at Court and
Tribunals on behalf of clients.
If you would like to know your rights and responsibilities concerning the removal of ACM cladding or you have had a council enforcement notice served on you, contact Manjinder on 020 3114 1269, or email her on [email protected].
Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors
Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors can assist in any issues arising with local housing authorities, housing applications, tenants, landlords, ownership and repairs. With a niche expertise in Possession and Unlawful Eviction cases the Department offers representation in all proceedings including reviews, appeals and judicial review proceedings relating to homelessness, disrepair, succession for tenants and neighbourhood disputes.
If you have any housing queries contact our team on 0333 772 0409.
