Housing providers are facing an increasing list of fire safety issues to contend with in post-Grenfell investigations. 

Among the key issues that now need addressing are:

• door fire compartmentation,
• defective sprinkler systems,
• faulty fire doors,
• use of combustible material in balconies 
• risks around cladding materials (both Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) and High-Pressure Laminates).

Strategies have been made available for providers wishing to focus on the delivery of remedial works, prioritising resident safety, which include the 'work-now-argue-later' approach and the 'piecemeal’ approach.

The G15 group of social housing providers already estimate costs of up to £6.87bn to make their buildings fire safe and, while the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government provided £400m to help eligible registered providers replace ACM cladding, no funding has yet been made available for addressing wider fire-safety issues.

The new strategies put in place aim to reduce the legal costs of pursuing a claim and any delays in implementing a remedial scheme – outcomes that fundamentally benefit social housing providers and their residents.

Original Source
24 Housing