Homeowners and tenants across the UK are expressing concerns as the anticipated and much-discussed Building Safety Levy has been postponed. While developers are welcoming the extension, many on the opposite end of the levy are stuck in a life-threatening limbo.
The levy is meant to channel funds towards restoring unsafe buildings, but received some push-back from developers wanting more time to prepare financially. In the meantime, the delay raises valid concerns about the safety of existing sites.
The True Cost of Unsound Homes
The Grenfell Tower fire of 2017 set in motion a series of events that, nearly eight years later, is yet to reach a reasonable conclusion.
Highly flammable cladding is the pain point, affecting thousands of low- to high-rise residential blocks. Known as “the cladding crisis” in the property sector, government strides to remediate affected buildings are barely a third of the way complete all these years later.
This lack of progress directly impacts over a million estimated residents who live there.
A statement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reiterated its dedication to accelerated work on addressing the cladding problem despite the levy being delayed.
However, given that just shy of five thousand buildings (out of a possible twelve thousand) have been identified in their portfolio, there’s no faith to be had in that promise. Especially since it’s taken almost eight years to get to this disappointing juncture.
Living With Risk
Residents aren’t happy with the decision to delay, and with good reason. More fires are breaking out in tower blocks with the same type of cladding, leaving people to pick up the pieces of failed government strategy.
In August 2024, one such fire consumed a seven-story block of residential flats in east London. The rapid spread of the blaze was attributed to flammable cladding.
People are up in arms because they can’t even sell their properties as a way to recoup losses. As long as the cladding is present, their homes have a zero value. What’s more, owners are having to cough up exorbitant amounts on temporary fixes in the interim.
The Impact of Added Dangers
Structural issues can lead to several other threats as a direct consequence. They make homes even more vulnerable to everyday hazards.
For example, reports of pressure cooker explosion cases in older properties emphasised the importance of building safety. Had this occurred in a home with flammable cladding, the effects could’ve been far worse.
Although pressure cooker incidents are usually isolated events, they highlight the broader problem: Common household accidents become life-threatening when homes aren’t adequately maintained.
What Experts Are Saying
Henry Griffith, a policy and campaigns officer at a membership organisation for estate agents, has blasted the levy delay. He believes it will place more pressure on the housing sector, instead of offering relief.
In Griffith’s opinion, the wrong people are going to end up paying for the government’s missteps on this untimely call.
According to TorHoerman Law, the heightened risk of personal injury exacerbates the issue. In their experience, household accidents financially burden residents who are caught up in personal injury claims and damage disputes.
This is made even worse in the matter of fire hazards and poor structural integrity. If faulty wiring causes an appliance explosion, for instance, residents are stacked with medical bills, loss of earning, and property repair costs over and above the physical injuries they may sustain.
General Safety Advice
Since residents in affected buildings have another year to wait for the Building Safety Levy to come into effect, it’s important to adopt a proactive attitude to their safety. Some practical steps include:
- Regular inspections: Monitor and fix ventilation systems, electrical wiring, and structural weaknesses to mitigate risks.
- Invest in safety devices: Install smoke detectors, carbon monoxide monitors, and alarm devices that alert you to potential hazards.
- Review and update insurance policies: Check that your home insurance covers fire damage and other household accidents. If necessary, update your policy to include these.
- Emergency savings: Where possible, make provision for a contingency fund to cover repairs and household accidents.
- Keep informed: Stay abreast with developments in case temporary support or interim relief measures come into effect.
While the levy delay has made developers happy, residents don’t have the luxury of that same relief. With approximately 60% of possibly affected buildings still to be identified and added to the government portfolio, it’ll be several years before they get to have peace of mind.
The onus is on those in power to stand behind their claims of accelerated remediation, and restore residents’ basic human rights to safe and secure housing.
