Commenting on the Government’s update to fire safety regulations today to give councils the powers to remove ACM cladding from privately owned high-rises, Labour’s London Assembly Fire Spokesperson, Andrew Dismore AM, said:
“For nearly eighteen months, Londoners living in privately owned blocks of flats have watched with horror as building owners have delayed replacing flammable cladding. Finally, boroughs have the power to fix this and make landlords pay.
“Though some private building owners did the right thing and fixed the flammable cladding, many tower blocks were left as fire traps. Landlords who left residents anxious and with financial problems should be looking pretty shame faced.
“Councils were a beacon of good practice replacing cladding, despite their lack of money. It’s surprising the Government left it so long before accepting they had to act on this life and death matter rather than relying on private landlords.”
Notes to editors
- Andrew Dismore is the London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden