Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Gov.UK Housing. Read the original article for full details.

Government Expands Cladding Support to Lower-Rise Buildings

The government has announced new funding to remove dangerous cladding from lower-rise buildings under 11 metres, focusing on those with serious fire safety risks. This support will be delivered through the existing Cladding Safety Scheme and is intended to protect leaseholders from large remediation costs.

According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, serious cladding problems are less common in lower-rise buildings, and these buildings have not previously been covered by existing leaseholder protections. As a result, leaseholders in these properties have sometimes faced significant bills to address safety issues they did not cause. The new funding aims to address this gap and ensure that the most unsafe buildings can be made safe.

The government stated that it will now prioritise buildings for remediation based on the risk they pose to residents, rather than focusing mainly on building height. This change is part of a wider shift in building safety policy, as outlined in the Remediation Acceleration Plan and in response to the findings of the Grenfell Inquiry.

The announcement also referenced the upcoming Remediation Bill, which is expected to further clarify landlords’ responsibilities to fix unsafe buildings.

In addition, the government has welcomed a new review by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) into how insurance premiums for buildings with fire safety risks have changed since new rules were introduced in 2023. The review will examine insurers’ pricing approaches, how leaseholders’ interests are considered, and how remediation work is factored into risk assessments.

Further regulatory changes have also been confirmed, including plans for a new Single Construction Regulator to streamline the building regulation system, simpler processes for issuing Building Assessment Certificates, and new consultations to make emergency works easier and speed up regulatory processes for existing buildings.

These measures are intended to improve building safety, reduce unnecessary delays, and protect leaseholders from unreasonable costs.