More residents should have access to Waking Watch Relief Fund

The London Assembly Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee has today called for the Waking Watch Relief Fund to be extended to residents in buildings under 18 metres.

Following the Grenfell Tower fire, waking watches are used in buildings identified as fire risks, until dangerous cladding is removed.

At a meeting on 22 September 2021, the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development told the Committee that 675 buildings in London currently have the round-the-clock patrol system in place.

However, only 111 applications in London had been made to the Government’s Waking Watch Relief Fund, covering 159 buildings. The gap highlights that the fund is currently only available for residential buildings over 18 metres in height.

Today, the Committee has written to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to urge for the fund to be opened to residential buildings of less than 18 metres, so these residents can also be relieved of the costs.

Susan Hall AM, Chairman of the Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee, said:

“The Committee welcomes the Government’s decision to provide a further £5 million of support to the Waking Watch Relief Fund.

“Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, ensuring the safety of residents in buildings with dangerous cladding has been vital – but waking watches have come at a huge cost to leaseholders.

“We urge the Government to open the fund to residential buildings of less than 18 metres in height, so their residents can also benefit from the fund and be relieved of the high costs of waking watches.”