The government has unveiled new measures that will see industry forced to pay to remove cladding and protect leaseholders from spiralling costs – and developers and product manufacturers that don’t play by the rules could find themselves blocked from the housing market.
The courts will also be afforded new powers to allow for developers to be sued if shell companies have been used to manage specific developments in a bid to avoid taking responsibility.
The idea is that industry will also have to pay to fix historical problems, so that hundreds of thousands of leaseholders no longer have to carry an unfair financial burden.
New clauses will also be included in the legislation to ensure that leaseholders who sublet an apartment in a building over 11m or who live in their own home will never have to pay anything for the removal of dangerous cladding.
Some leaseholders thus far have received invoices for more than £100,000 – but these new clauses will see the amount reduced significantly.
Secretary of state for levelling up Michael Gove said: “These measures will stop building owners passing all costs on to leaseholders and make sure any repairs are proportionate and necessary for their safety.
“All industry must play a part, instead of continuing to profit whilst hardworking families struggle. We cannot allow those who do not take building safety seriously to build homes in the future, and for those not willing to play their part they must face consequences.”
The government has also published advice and information for building owners and private sector residential landlords relating to sites where aluminium composite cladding is present. Free ACM screening tests are also available, which could be required to ensure the safety of building residents.
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