Posts with tag: Grenfell Tower

Fire Safety Funding Called for to Make Safer Homes

Published On: July 18, 2018 at 9:52 am

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A Parliamentary committee has now called for funding from the Government to make fire safety improvements in privately owned residential blocks.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee has stated in its response to the Hackitt Review into building and safety that funding should be provided by the Government. The Committee states that this is needed to replace any cladding on existing buildings that had previously been permitted, but now banned following the Grenfell Tower fire. It believes that both public and private sector landlords should have access to this funding.

The Committee also agrees with the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) on its stance that the Government should introduce a low-interest loan scheme for private sector building owners. This should hopefully ensure that remedial work is carried out swiftly where cladding is found and needs to be removed.

The RLA has argued that the Hackitt review represents a “missed opportunity” to work on bringing about improvements across all property types, not just high-rise flats. Following this, the Committee has urged the Government to “take as wide an approach as possible to the applicability and implementation of the recommendations in the Final Report.”

David Smith, Policy Director for the Residential Landlords Association, said of the report: “We welcome today’s report. Its pragmatic approach to the financing of the removal and replacement of unsafe cladding would ensure vital improvements are made quickly whilst legal debates continue about who should be responsible for replacing cladding found to be unsafe,

“We urge also the Government to take seriously the Committee’s call to take a more holistic approach to fire safety. For all the focus on high rise buildings, we need to learn from the tragedy at Grenfell to ensure the right safety regime is in place whatever size or shape of housing people live in.”

Substantial Fire Risks Uncovered at Blocks of Flats Across the UK

Published On: August 9, 2017 at 8:07 am

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Substantial fire risks that pose a threat to tenants’ lives have been uncovered at blocks of flats across the UK, as fire safety provisions face growing public scrutiny in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Substantial Fire Risks Uncovered at Blocks of Flats Across the UK

Substantial Fire Risks Uncovered at Blocks of Flats Across the UK

Failings were identified at the tower blocks between 2012 and 2017, including no fire doors and faulty smoke alarms.

Hundreds of other high-rise blocks were also found to have major safety flaws, according to analysis of fire risk assessments by Inside Housing magazine.

It comes after so-called flammable cladding fitted to Grenfell Tower raised serious concerns surrounding fire safety provisions in the wake of the tragedy.

It was widely speculated that materials installed during a 2016 refurbishment aided the rapid and “unprecedented” spread of the blaze that killed at least 80 people.

The disaster has renewed public focus on the state of Britain’s housing supply, particularly social homes, and whether building regulations are stringent enough to guarantee the safety of tenants in high-rise blocks of flats.

Some of the tower blocks found to pose substantial fire risks were located in Southampton, Camden, Guildford, Wigan, Stockport and Hatfield.

It comes as the Government announced an independent review of building regulations and fire safety, which experts said was “long overdue”.

In addition, more than 100 buildings have failed combustibility testing ordered by a Government fire safety panel in the wake of the disaster.

Positively, however, it appears that landlords are doing more to ensure the health and safety of their tenants following the dreadful fire. More than half of landlords have said they are taking action on fire safety in their rental properties.

We have put together a comprehensive guide that explains all of your fire safety responsibilities to protect your tenants and property: /guide-fire-safety-rental-property/

While you must prevent substantial fire risks in your properties, it is also important that you protect the buildings and contents of your investments. Choose Landlord Insurance from Just Landlords to ensure that you receive the widest cover available as standard: https://www.justlandlords.co.uk/landlord-insurance

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Camden tenants launch crowdfunding page for fire safety checks

Published On: August 2, 2017 at 9:09 am

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A crowdfunding page has been launched by worried tenants who are looking to pay for independent fire safety checks to be carried out in their properties in North London.

Over 3,000 residents, including many private sector tenants, living on an estate in Camden, were evacuated during June. This was following concern from fire inspectors, who claimed that four tower blocks were at risk.

Fire Safety

Following the Grenfell Tower disaster, both tenants and firefighters are wary of safety issues in high-rise buildings.

In the instance of the estate in Camden, the London Fire Brigade uncovered a number of fire safety issues inside the blocks of the building. An inspection revealed that blocks were wrapped in extremely flammable cladding.

People living on the Chalcots estate were woken in the night during June and told to leave their flats immediately, due to imminent danger.

Now, some six weeks later, tenants are being asked to return by Camden Council, which claimed the properties are now safe following urgent works.

Fears

However, there are still ongoing fears about external cladding and requirements for internal repairs. These include for gas pipes, largely explaining why a number of residents have refused to go back home.

As such, a group of residents who remain worried about their safety at the Swiss Cottage have decided to appoint a legal firm to assist them to commission their own report.

Paper house in fire on a black background concept

Camden tenants launch crowdfunding page for fire safety checks

Robert Kukaj and Sasha Martin, both with families residing in the towers, set up the online donation page, with a target of raising £3,000. Any funds raised over this amount will be donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Mr Kukaj said: ‘We as residents feel that it is not safe to return to our flats as we have seen evidence that these works have not been done properly and to the right standard. We also felt that these works being signed off by different local authorities does not provide the impartiality that you would have if it was done by an approved inspector with no ties to any local authority or government. It is a lot to ask for granted but worth every penny to put people’s minds at ease and to make sure we are not living in death traps.’[1]

Reassurance

A Camden Council spokesman told the press that they had been working alongside residents to reassure them of the safety of the buildings following advice from London Fire Brigade.

The spokesman said: ‘We want to again reassure residents that building control requirements have been met and independently checked. Additionally, and crucially, the London Fire Brigade have checked the works and are happy that we have met the required standard. We know this has been a difficult time for residents and we will continue to make one to one support and advice available.’[1]

[1] https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2017/8/residents-launch-fundraising-page-to-pay-for-independent-fire-safety-checks

 

Landlords are Taking Action on Fire Safety, Shows Survey

Published On: July 27, 2017 at 8:03 am

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More than half of UK landlords have taken action on the fire safety of their rental properties following the terrible Grenfell Tower fire, shows a new survey.

A study of 500 private landlords found that a third (32%) had checked their fire alarms, while 15% had instructed a professional to carry out a fire risk assessment in the wake of the tragedy.

Landlords are Taking Action on Fire Safety, Shows Survey

Landlords are Taking Action on Fire Safety, Shows Survey

Landlords of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and flats were among the most proactive over the past four weeks, with fire alarm checks being conducted in 50% of HMOs and 35% of flats. These properties also saw a higher than average number of professional checks, with 39% of HMOs and 22% of flats being visited for assessments.

Other measures taken by landlords included checking construction materials of their properties and contacting the freeholder regarding fire safety checks. 17% of landlords also said that they had installed a carbon monoxide alarm.

The survey, carried out on behalf of Simple Landlords Insurance, was conducted a month after the Grenfell Tower fire in North Kensington.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, landlords in London were the most responsive of all the geographical regions polled. Some 72% reported having taken at least one action following the disaster, compared with just a third in Wales.

However, one area of concern uncovered by the research was gas safety. While every landlord questioned said that they had conducted a gas safety inspection on their property, just 83% said that it had occurred within the last 12 months.

Landlords are legally required to have a Gas Safe-registered engineer check all gas appliances in their properties at least once a year. The majority of the remaining landlords (11%) fell between the 12 and 18-month bracket, while an alarming 4% said that it had been more than three years since their last gas safety check.

A detailed guide to your gas safety obligations can be found here: /landlords-guide-gas-safety/

We have also compiled a thorough and comprehensive guide to fire safety, which can be accessed here: /guide-fire-safety-rental-property/

The Head of Operations at Simple Landlords Insurance, Alex Huntley, comments on the study: “Fire safety is clearly on the agenda for landlords in the UK, with a little over half taking positive action in the last month alone. Landlords have a legal obligation to protect tenants under fire safety regulations, particularly those with large or shared properties.

“Gas safety is also of paramount importance and, although on the whole the survey has shown a positive and responsible response from landlords, they must understand their obligations; fire and gas safety must never be left to chance.”

The findings arrive as the Residential Landlords Association (RLA) calls for change in fire safety guidance.

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60 High-Rise Buildings Fail Safety Tests Following Grenfell Tower Blaze

Published On: June 26, 2017 at 9:45 am

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60 high-rise buildings in 25 local authorities have failed fire safety tests conducted in the wake of the Grenfell Tower blaze earlier this month, the Government has reported.

This figure amounts to a 100% failure rate, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

The number has risen from 34 tower blocks in 17 local authorities, with hundreds more still yet to be tested.

The results of the safety tests arrive as Theresa May is due to chair a meeting of the Grenfell Tower recovery taskforce later, which includes the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

Downing Street sources say that the Prime Minister is likely to hear how many of the country’s high-rise buildings are swathed in potentially flammable materials.

At least 79 people are believed to have died in the Grenfell Tower blaze in North Kensington.

60 High-Rise Buildings Fail Safety Tests Following Grenfell Tower Blaze

60 High-Rise Buildings Fail Safety Tests Following Grenfell Tower Blaze

The building’s cladding is widely blamed for how quickly the fire spread up its 24 storeys.

The new Housing Minister, Alok Sharma, refused to reveal whether the cladding used on the block was illegal.

He did, however, say: “The rules in terms of this particular type of cladding are clear. Aluminium composite material, which has a core of polyethylene, should not be put on buildings which are 18 metres high. That is absolutely clear.

“But obviously as a result of this terrible tragedy, we are going to have to learn the lessons. If that means changes to regulations as a result of what comes out of the inquiry and the work that the police and the fire service are doing – then we will make those.”

He insisted: “This shouldn’t have happened in the first place in our country, in the 21st century, and we need to make sure this never ever happens again.”

The manufacturer of the insulation used to clad Grenfell Tower has said it will stop using the product on high-rise buildings.

Officials are now carrying out inspections of tower blocks across the country.

14 areas where buildings have failed the test have been identified, with 11 yet to be named.

Five buildings failed the tests in Sunderland, four in Manchester, three in Plymouth, three in Stockton-on-Tees, two in Portsmouth, and one each in Doncaster and Norwich.

In London, five buildings have been deemed unsafe in Camden, three in Barnet, two in Wandsworth, and one each in Islington, Lambeth, Brent and Hounslow.

In a statement, the DCLG said: “All landlords and fire and rescue services for these local authorities have been alerted to the results, and we are in touch with all of them to support and monitor follow-up action.”

On Friday, authorities ordered the evacuation of four tower blocks in the Chalcots Estate in north London out of safety concerns – a move backed by Sadiq Khan.

But some 200 residents from 120 homes are still refusing to leave, according to the Leader of Camden Council, Georgia Gould. Tensions are running high, with some residents saying they were intimidated by security guards.

Sharma responded: “I understand people living in tower blocks around the country will be extremely concerned, and that is why we have been clear that we have put in place a regime of getting cladding that may not be compliant tested as quickly as possible.

“As soon as we identify a piece of cladding on a building that is non-compliant, the local authority is informed immediately, the fire authority is informed, and the fire service then goes in and sees whether there can be mitigation measures put in place so that people don’t have to leave the building whilst the cladding is taken down.

“In the case of Camden, what happened was, apart from the cladding, there were other fire safety checks which failed, and that is why people had to be evacuated.”

Some Grenfell Tower Victims May Never be Identified due to Subletting

Published On: June 21, 2017 at 8:12 am

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It’s been one week since the devastating Grenfell Tower fire shook North Kensington. But some victims of the blaze may never be identified due to subletting, believes a lawyer.

Some victims of last week’s fire were living in flats that were sublet without permission by the original tenants, according to the local North Kensington Law Centre.

At the time of writing, Scotland Yard has confirmed that the death toll stands at 79.

Some of those that survived the blaze were reluctant to seek help from the authorities, as they feared being detained over their unresolved immigration status, says Victoria Vasey, the Director of North Kensington Law Centre.

A further problem for survivors, she explains, is that those sent by the Kensington and Chelsea authority to hotels for emergency accommodation last week were all informed that they would have to leave by Tuesday (yesterday).

“They were told last Friday and spent all weekend stressing because there was no one available to answer questions,” Vasey states. “It affected scores of people, but they have now been reassured and allowed to stay where they are.”

Vasey also adds that the problem of identifying victims was being complicated by the fact that “a lot of people were irregular in their tenancies and some were subletting. Some of them were illegal sub-tenancies”.

Those who died in the fire may not be those recorded as the official tenants of the flats.

Vasey welcomes the large number of lawyers who have volunteered to help provide free legal advice.

Daily legal clinics have been set up to advise displaced tenants on housing problems.

“Many people were concerned about their immigration status,” Vasey reports. “Some were in the middle of applications [to be naturalised] and have lost all their papers. We are offering support to them.”

She continues: “Some of the people feel they can’t seek help because they are terrified they will be carted off to immigration detention. It’s a big problem. We are trying to get the word out to get them to come and see us. We can give them advice on the basis of client/lawyer confidentiality.”

While survivors may, at a later stage, consider bringing compensation claims or seek other ways to obtain justice, Vasey claims that families are at the moment focused on more immediate needs.

One issue that may become more important once the inquiry is launched is whether the cladding added to the exterior of Grenfell Tower was primarily for insulation purposes, or because it made the building more attractive. There have been allegations that the tower had been renovated to attract more upmarket tenants.

Vasey wrote to the Home Office on Friday, calling on officials to provide emergency help for those who have lost all of their documents.

“There has been nothing to suggest there will be a waiver of the fees,” she says. “Which would be important given the circumstances they are left in.”