Leeds Cladding Scandal positive for the future after Jenrick sacked as housing secretary

A rally is taking place in London today (15th September)

Flats in Leeds
Author: Hannah NorburyPublished 16th Sep 2021
Last updated 16th Sep 2021

Leaseholders in Leeds impacted by the cladding scandal say they'd like to see the new housing secretary apologise for the failures of the government.

Robert Jenrick was sacked from the position in a government re-shuffle on the 13th September.

"We are currently living somewhere else because it's too difficult for us to live with that pressure."

Miki Vyse from Leeds found out her flat was unsafe when she tried to sell it, we asked what her reaction to the news was:

"This is positive news, over the past two years, he's (Robert Jenrick) done absolutely nothing to put our worries at ease, he's done absolutely nothing for leaseholders."

Michael Gove has been appointed the role.

We asked Miki what she wants to see from the new minister, she said:

"I'd like to see him apologise for the government failures in acting quickly on this and to make a statement about increasing the speed of the response to the building safety fund and protecting leaseholders whole heartedly. I'm unsure whether this will happen, but it would be great to see."

It comes as a rally is taking place in London today, with leaseholders from across the country coming together, in the hope that their voices will be heard.

Miki said:

"Myself and my partner have actually got to the point where we feel so unsafe and it's effected our mental health so much that we've moved out of our leasehold flat, that we're unable to sell.

"We are currently living somewhere else because it's too difficult for us to live with that pressure.

"We're also paying for a waking watch, we've been paying now for almost a year, where people parade 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with a megaphone to alert you whether your building is on fire or not."

An MHCLG spokesperson said:

“We are spending over £5 billion to fund the replacement of unsafe cladding in the highest risk buildings and are making the biggest improvements to building safety in a generation.

“We’ve been clear throughout that owners and industry should make buildings safe without passing on costs to leaseholders – and our new measures will introduce a legal requirement for owners of high-rise buildings to prove they have tried all routes to cover the cost of essential safety works.

“Alongside this, our ambitious leasehold reforms will benefit millions of homeowners by ending unfair practices in the leasehold market and delivering on our commitment to set ground rents to zero on new leases.”

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