During a statement to the House of Commons on 10 January, Stephen pressed Michael Gove - the Secretary of State for Housing - on the Government’s plans to support those trapped in unsafe housing.
The Government has announced new plans to help protect leaseholders trapped in dangerous buildings. Developers will now be made responsible for the costs of removing flammable cladding. During his statement, Michael Gove confirmed that building firms will now be expected to fix dangerous cladding in buildings higher than 11m by March.
It remains unclear whether leaseholders will still be expected to shoulder the cost of other fire safety defects and interim measures, such as firebreaks, alarms and waking watch personnel.
Stephen pressed Michael Gove on this during his statement and asked “will the Minister spell out how the statutory protection he has announced will help leaseholders in developments like Waterside Park, built by Barratt in my constituency, where there is not a cladding problem, but the apartments have become valueless because of other serious building defects?”
You can watch Stephen’s full question, and the Minister’s response, below.