"Safety Stalled: Why Is Cladding Remediation Not Moving Faster?"

Do we feel that those in power are actively removing the dangers of questionable and dangerous cladding from residential properties quickly enough?
Here’s a recent update from Wales: “A Welsh committee chair seeks clarity on why safety work has not been completed on 98% of buildings.” You can find more on this in an article from Inside Housing that’s well worth a read at www.insidehousing.co.uk.
In other news this week, Stephen May, a stalwart of our Cladding Matters podcast and a resident at Royal Artillery Quays (RAQ) — severely affected by builder neglect in terms of safety — will report back after his evening meeting with Greenwich Council. Unfortunately, his MP had prior commitments and couldn't attend. This meeting was crucial, given the severe issues prompted by the builders (formerly Barratt Homes, now Barratt Wimpey), who failed to show up.
Barratt-Wimpey is responsible for the dangerous state of RAQ, a development notorious for its subpar construction quality and widely known non-compliance with building standards. Following a London Fire Brigade Enforcement Notice, one would expect some form of action or at least a constructive statement from the builder.
Turning our attention elsewhere, it’s interesting to note an ad for Fire Risk Assessors which sparked quite the reaction from an experienced assessor: "I’m happy to be challenged, but seriously, conducting 3-4 assessments in a morning and then typing up reports in the afternoon? What are they assessing, sheds?"
The comment underscores the dire shortage of Fire Risk Assessors, highlighted by the 732 open positions at Totaljobs alone - a situation that paints a bleak picture for the industry across the nation, considering the volume of new builds and required assessments.
Building safety updates: As of January 2025, about 29% of UK buildings over 11 meters have completed cladding remediation, with an alarming 52% yet to begin. Enforcement actions are ramping up under new regulations, including the Building Safety Act, aiming for all remedial work to be completed by mid-2027

Join us for these updates and more on our Cladding Matters podcast, airing at 1:00pm on Friday. As always, if you can't join live, the session will be recorded for later viewing. Along with Stephen May, our legal expert Zahrah Aullybocus and Wendy Gibson, who is committed to helping first-time buyers find safe homes, will join the discussion. Hamish McLay, our conveyancing collaborator, will also be there, all under the watchful eye of our host and producer, Gareth Wax.
Remember, if you’re unable to attend live, the recording will be available to accommodate your schedule.