Written evidence submitted by Mr Ross Cooper [BSB 005]
As a leaseholder, I am not happy with the proposal put in place.
It states that the government’s aim is to minimise the costs of remediation but it this is not clear if the costs of remediation and safety is passed on to leaseholders.
What actually does minimising mean? It is quite a vague term so clarity is also required on the extent and who decides what is necessary to for the building? Our freeholder can assign building safety inspector, walking watches, or remediation work and they can charge any amount which is not policed and we would have no choice but to pay?
Then after a year or two what is to stop the freeholder for putting in more safety options at a cost to the leaseholder again?
There needs to be clarity put in place and as to what is absolutely necessary and also as to who what subsidies will be put In place.
EWS1 - External Wall Survey 1
Again because of past failings on safety and what is compliant at the time now changing, my building has now had the relevant tests come back on the cladding and timber which shows that the timber on the balcony and uprights are not compliant with the regulations now in place.
This now means that there will be a requirement for remedial works which will more than likely be in the several thousand per apartment – we are still awaiting the quote.
The freeholder has applied for the 1bn pound grant but it is not clear as to this will be accepted and also if this covers the entire amount of work? Or will this only cover part of the remedial works?
The composition of the external and internal areas of the building when built, should have been completed with stringent tests and achieve the highest levels of safety and compliancy. If the Government then changes the details of what is safe then surely it should be the Government, not the Leaseholder who is responsible to pay for the remedial work to make it compliant again?
When I purchased my “affordable housing” apartment I was blissfully unaware that issues like this would occur.
Ultimately being in “affordable” housing has become no longer affordable and hasn’t been for a while.
It can now get much worse, with an upcoming lease extension to think about and pay for in the next couple of years, the cladding/timber issues, and now the additional safety measures proposed there is a potential for me to have to fork out tens of thousands of pounds for things that were not my fault!
I would sell and try and get out of this ridiculous situation but with the fire safety tests failing, the chances of me now being able to sell are almost non-existent!