Government sends a clear signal to get on with cladding repairs – Andrew Parker writes for Property Week

Construction Partner, Andrew Parker, has spoken to Property Week on the newly redeclared urgency from the government to act on building safety. The new Housing Secretary, Simon Clarke, declaring that it was his “duty” to fix an “ineffective” building safety regime.

While there have been delays in the process, the view is commonly held that the government’s making use of the Building Safety Act (which gained royal assent in April 2022) is a step in the right direction.

Parker commented: “The action being taken is a positive step from the government to make good on its promise to ‘pursue firms that have failed to do the right thing’ as [former housing secretary] Michael Gove put it.

“It shows that the provisions of the Building Safety Act have teeth, such as section 123, which introduces the remediation orders that require landlords to remedy specified defeats within a specified period.

“This government action suggests that the net is closing in on those responsible for fire safety defects… and who are unreasonably delaying carrying out necessary remedial works.”

This article was first published in Property Week on 19 October 2022 and is available to read in full here, behind their paywall.