Wiltshire Fire service to inspect buildings for unsafe cladding

Hundreds of high rise buildings across Wiltshire and Dorset are to be inspected for unsafe cladding.

Buildings over 18 metres tall pose a higher risk for fatalities and injuries during a fire.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service aims to inspect over 200 buildings above that height by the end of the year.

UNSAFE CLADDING

The inspections come after the government announced a £3.5 billion fund for leaseholders to remove risky materials from buildings.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue's Area Manager Marc House said:

“DWFRS welcomes the Government announcement of additional funding to assist homeowners living in high-rise properties where external cladding has impacted on their ability to sell or re-mortgage."

“The building owner and/or Responsible Person(s) has ultimate accountability for managing fire safety measures for buildings, and DWFRS has shared legislative responsibilities with the local authorities for enforcing safety in high-rise buildings, and works closely in partnership to this end."

“By the end of 2021, the Service will have inspected over 200 buildings of 18m and higher across its area as part of the national Building Risk Review (BRR). The objective of this programme is to demonstrate to Government that fire and rescue services are aware of the various elements impacting fire safety in high-rise residential buildings across their areas."

“This in turn will help identify actions that need to be taken by the Responsible Person(s) to rectify any issues. DWFRS is also working closely with its four Local Authorities to identify and remediate risk within these buildings.”

THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN

Under the government scheme no leaseholder will ever pay more than £50 per month towards the removal of unsafe cladding.

In addition, a new tax will be introduced for the UK residential property development sector. This will raise at least £2 billion over a decade to help pay for cladding remediation costs.

Housing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:

“This is a comprehensive plan to remove unsafe cladding, support leaseholders, restore confidence to this part of the housing market and ensure this situation never arises again."

“Our unprecedented intervention means the hundreds of thousands of leaseholders who live in higher-rise buildings will now pay nothing towards the cost of removing unsafe cladding."

“Remedying the failures of building safety cannot just be a responsibility for taxpayers. That is why we will also be introducing a levy and tax on developers to contribute to righting the wrongs of the past."

“These measures will provide certainty to residents and lenders, boosting the housing market, reinstating the value of properties and getting buying and selling homes back on track. We are working with lenders and surveyors to make this happen.*

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