ao link
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In

You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles

No government funding for councils to take action against private tower block landlords

The government will not provide funding for councils to take enforcement action against private landlords of tower blocks with aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding, who fail to co-operate.

Linked InTwitterFacebookeCard
Sharelines

No government funding for councils to take action against private tower block landlords #ukhousing

In a letter to councils published today, Tamara Finkelstein, director general of the building safety programme at the Department for Communities and Local Government, said the department had decided that any enforcement action by councils or legal advice on taking such action against private landlords of tower blocks with ACM cladding does not count as a “new burden” for councils, and so no funding will be given.

Communities secretary Sajid Javid recently revealed that out of 89 privately owned tower blocks which had their cladding tested by the Building Research Establishment, 85 failed the test.

Instead, councils will be given a total of £289,000 to share between them to gather data on the number and location of privately owned, ACM-cladded tower blocks in their area.

The amount of funding each council will receive will depend on the number of tower blocks in its area.


READ MORE

Private tower block with cladding that has failed government tests has waking watch removedPrivate tower block with cladding that has failed government tests has waking watch removed
The government should fund the installation of sprinklers in tower blocksThe government should fund the installation of sprinklers in tower blocks
Valuers: treat tower blocks ‘with considerable caution’ post-GrenfellValuers: treat tower blocks ‘with considerable caution’ post-Grenfell

Ms Finkelstein said although there is no government funding for enforcement action, “we will continue to have discussions with local authorities on these issues”.

In a separate letter sent last week but only published today, Ms Finkelstein said a number of councils had raised concerns about the legal powers they hold to take enforcement action against private landlords.

She said there is legislation that can be applied to the external cladding used on privately owned blocks but added that any enforcement action taken by councils can be challenged on appeal to a tribunal and “ultimately it is for the tribunal and the courts to make any determination about the applications of these provisions on a case-by-case basis”.

Linked InTwitterFacebookeCard
Add New Comment
You must be logged in to comment.