Unsafe Homes: The Cladding Crisis examined

The Bench Report

Join us as we explore the ongoing crisis surrounding dangerous cladding in residential buildings, years after the Grenfell Tower disaster. We examine the latest report from the Committee of Public Accounts, uncovering the sheer scale of the problem, now estimated to affect 9,000 to 12,000 buildings and potentially 3 million people. Discover why progress in identifying and fixing these unsafe buildings is still painfully slow, leaving many residents in financial distress and trapped in unsellable homes.

We'll unpack the government's Remediation Acceleration Plan, looking at its targets and the scepticism surrounding its ambition and deliverability. Learn about the significant barriers hindering progress, including landlord reluctance, supply chain constraints, and regulatory capacity. We also highlight the crucial issue of non-cladding defects and the ongoing debate about who should foot the bill.

Find out why, despite promises, manufacturers of dangerous cladding products have yet to contribute financially to remediation efforts, while developers are now part of the solution. We also consider the worrying shortage of skilled workers and the impact of this on the speed of remediation. Finally, we touch on the long-term concerns about exorbitant insurance premiums and the potential impact of remediation plans on wider housebuilding targets.

Key Takeaways:

• The cladding crisis is far larger and more costly than initially understood.
• Progress in remediating unsafe buildings remains unacceptably slow.
• Thousands of residents continue to suffer significant financial and emotional burdens.
• The government's acceleration plan faces scepticism regarding its ambition and achievability.
• Significant uncertainties remain around the total cost and timeline for remediation.
• Exorbitant insurance costs persist for affected residents.
• The impact of remediation on new housebuilding is a growing concern.

Source: Committee of Public Accounts

The Remediation of Dangerous Cladding

Seventeenth Report of Session 2024–25 HC 362

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Chapters

1. Unsafe Homes: The Cladding Crisis examined (00:00:00)

2. Costs (00:01:26)

3. Unidentified buildings (00:02:15)

4. Remediation Accelleration plan - doubts (00:02:45)

5. Roadblocks - landlords, supply chain, capacity (00:03:24)

6. Finding buildings that need to be checked (00:04:46)

7. Costs not covered by govt funding (00:05:15)

8. Cladding manufacturers (00:06:19)

9. Frustrations getting the work done (00:07:20)

10. Homes England / Insurance (00:08:11)

11. Value for money? (00:09:28)

12. Who is paying for this? Anti-fraud measures (00:10:49)

13. Wider impact on the housing sector (00:11:53)

14. Conclusions (00:13:03)