In the two and a half years since the Grenfell Tower fire, councils have worked with the Government to identify dangerous Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding on both social and private housing blocks.
Key messages:
- In the two and a half years since the Grenfell Tower fire, councils have worked with the Government to identify dangerous Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding on both social and private housing blocks. The LGA has helped support and coordinate this work.
- We welcome the steps that have been taken to date to address building safety issues to date. The Government has banned combustible materials from new buildings over 18 meters, funded the removal of ACM cladding and has tested several other types of cladding.
- Social housing providers have acted to protect residents. While some private landlords are doing the same, there has been a significant issue with private landlords who are reluctant to act, have attempted to pass charges onto leaseholders or sometimes cannot be identified.
- The fire has raised a number of issues around the safety of buildings and building products and the systems by which both are regulated. The LGA continues to campaign on behalf of its members and their residents to ensure the system is reformed so that an effective and safe system is delivered as soon as possible.
- The LGA is working to ensure that the Government:
- Acts to protect leaseholders in blocks with non-ACM dangerous cladding from the costs of fixing a problem they are in not responsible for.
- Requires building owners to establish what materials are on their external walls and proactively inform the fire service if they are dangerous.
- Lowers the height at which sprinklers are required in new residential buildings.
- Avoids creating a two-tier fire safety system in which buildings under 18 metres are left in a dangerous condition.
- Fully funds the work of enforcing building safety and fire protection
- Addresses the historic issues in large panel systems buildings.