Minister threatens tower owners with jail over cladding remediation

Building Safety Minister Alex Norris (pictured) says Labour is setting out tough new targets to fix unsafe buildings as part of a new Remediation Acceleration Plan to replace cladding.

The plan will introduce new measures to get buildings fixed quicker, ensure rogue freeholders are held to account and put the end in sight for affected residents.

According to Norris the Government will, for the first time, set clear target dates for making buildings safe and will propose to introduce significantly tougher penalties for refusing to act.

Severe penalties

By the end of 2029, all 18m+ (high-rise) buildings with unsafe cladding in a government-funded scheme will have been remediated, while every 11m+ building with unsafe cladding will either have been remediated, have a date for completion, or their owners will be liable for severe penalties.

The plan will be backed by more money for enforcement so that local authorities, fire and rescue authorities and the Building Safety Regulator have the capacity to tackle hundreds of cases per year.

Alongside the plan, the Government will publish a joint action plan with developers to accelerate their work to fix buildings for which they are responsible.

We have a range of powers, ranging from fines to prison sentences.”

The Remediation Acceleration Plan is designed to speed up the process of making homes safe by focusing on three key objectives:

1. Fix buildings faster: Expedite remediation of high-risk buildings with clear deadlines and penalties for non-compliance.
2. Identify all unsafe buildings: Identify all buildings with unsafe cladding through advanced data assessments and the creation of a comprehensive building register.
3. Support residents: Protect residents from the financial burdens of remediation and improve their experience throughout the process.

The Government is taking a tough stance on those who are dragging their heels, with Norris warning: “I would want people who own buildings that are watching those who have not been remediating them, to know we are on them, we are after them, and we want those buildings remediated. And if they don’t, they will feel the force of the law.

“We have a range of powers already, ranging from fines to prison sentences, that can be used in health and safety cases.”

Read about the Remediation Acceleration Plan.