Anger as small buildings not covered by government’s £3.5 billion cladding bail out

Labour called the package “too late for too many”

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has announced a £3.5bn package to remove dangerous cladding from housing blocks – a move which has quickly come under criticism for only covering taller buildings.

Following the Grenfell Tower fire, several common types of cladding was found to be unsafe, potentially leaving many flat owners out of pocket having to pay thousands to remove it.

Now the housing secretary has said that grants will pay for the removal – but only on buildings over 18 meters tall, which does not help many of those affected.

For owners of flats in building under 18 meters, only loans will be available to cover the costs. Jenrick has said that no-one “will pay more than £50 a month” for the low-interest loans, but the move has still come under harsh criticism from Labour, Conservative, and Liberal Democrat MPs.

Labour housing secretary Thangam Debbonaire called it “too late for too many”.

“It’s a repeat of undelivered promises and a backtrack on the key one – that leaseholders should have no costs to pay,” she continued.

Conservative MP Stephen McPartland said he had his “head in my hands” at Jenrick’s announcement.

“It is a betrayal of millions of leaseholders. It is not good enough. It is shocking incompetence. It is clear the PM has to step in now,” McPartland tweeted.

“The statement from Robert Jenrick is all smoke and mirrors. He is very careful to just state cladding. No mention of fire safety defects, Waking Watches or Excessive Insurance Premiums which are often the main costs for millions of leaseholders.”

I am listening to @RobertJenrick‘s announcement with my head in my hands. Wondering how he can have got this so wrong. It is a betrayal of millions of leaseholders. It is not good enough. It is shocking incompetence. It is clear the PM has to step in now. @ukcag @EOCS_Official

— Stephen McPartland (@SMcPartland) February 10, 2021

The statement from @RobertJenrick is all smoke and mirrors. He is very careful to just state cladding. No mention of fire safety defects, Waking Watches or Excessive Insurance Premiums which are often the main costs for millions of leaseholders ??‍♂️ @ukcag @EOCS_Official

— Stephen McPartland (@SMcPartland) February 10, 2021

“It is a scandal that the Tories have broken their post-Grenfell promises to leaseholders living in unsafe homes,” said Lim Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper.

“Liberal Democrats are clear that leaseholders should not have to pay a penny to remove dangerous cladding or carry the cost of other fire safety defects that have occurred through no fault of their own.”