Landlords could face prison if they fail to remove unsafe cladding from tower blocks by 2029

The upcoming Remediation Bill will require landlords of buildings 18 metres or higher with unsafe cladding to complete remediations by the end of 2029, with works finished on buildings 11-18 metres in height by the end of 2031.    

Landlords that fail to meet the strict deadlines “without reasonable excuse” could face serious penalties.  

The new legislation will also give industry bodies like Homes England powers to remediate buildings if landlords fail to act.  

“These reforms will help to make homes safer, reinforcing the government’s mission to restore confidence in building safety, and make sure that tragedies like the Grenfell Tower fire can never happen again,” said Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). 

More than £1 billion of public money has also been earmarked for social housing landlords to carry out remediation works as part of changes to the Cladding Safety Scheme. 

Housing associations, local authorities and regulators will help assess and fix social housing buildings and support tenants throughout. 

For the first time, funding will also be available for cladding remediation works on buildings under 11 metres, although only in exceptional cases. 

“Today we have given social landlords access to over £1 billion to remediate unsafe cladding and make residents safe,” said deputy prime minister and housing secretary, Angela Rayner. “The social sector is ready to rise to the challenge and make sure that residents are safe in their homes. 

“We are also today sending a clear message to those responsible for a building still wrapped in unsafe cladding: act now or face the consequences. Our Remediation Bill will include a new duty on you to make your building safe by a specified date, and new powers to impose serious penalties on those who fail to comply with the duty, and ultimately to bypass them if necessary to make the building safe.” 

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