Rendall & Rittner calls for Government action on cladding

Director Sue Petri explains why Rendall and Rittner decided to join forces with industry peers to encourage the Government to intervene.

It has been an unprecedented time working in the residential sector since the tragedy of Grenfell with changing requirements around cladding and associated potential combustible materials.  This is a UK wide problem which needs Government intervention, there are a very limited number of experts suitably qualified to carry out the necessary checks, many of whom are unable to obtain the necessary Professional Indemnity insurance and all of whom are swamped with requests. 

All of this has now been compounded by recent consolidated advice from Government, which appears to put all buildings regardless of height in scope.  We are deeply concerned that leaseholders are going to be footing significant bills just to check that their buildings are safe. The net effect of this will be that it will be impossible for the industry to focus on those buildings which are most at risk, as well as potentially rendering un-mortgageable the vast majority of apartment housing stock across the UK.

Along with our peers and industry experts we have sent an open letter to The Chancellor of the Exchequer The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP to call upon the Government to establish a multibillion pound emergency fund and work with the industry to unblock the process and ensure the safety of residents up and down the country for generations to come.