WQ85836 (e) Tabled on 27/07/2022

When will leaseholders be able to stop paying for fire safety remediation work in flats, and will there be compensation for them for work already completed?

Answered by Minister for Climate Change | Answered on 04/08/2022

As the member will be aware, building safety forms part of the Co-operation Agreement.

The Welsh Building Safety Fund opened in September 2021, inviting responsible owners to submit an Expression of Interest. This represents the starting point for accessing Welsh Government support, and we are currently undertaking survey work on buildings across Wales.  Unfortunately, however, the fund does not have the facility to retrospectively pay for building work already undertaken.

I have always been clear that developers should step up to their responsibilities and put right fire safety issues with buildings they have developed. It has also been made clear that leaseholders should not have to pay to put right fire safety defects that are not of their making.

I continue to pursue those developers who refuse to take  responsibility and have met with a number of developers, to ask them to set out their plans and timescales for the remediation of buildings with fire safety issues. A Written Statement was also issued on the 19 July detailing the ongoing work with developers.

https://gov.wales/written-statement-update-building-safety-wales