Two years after the deaths of 72 people in the fire at Grenfell Tower, the government is currently consulting on proposals for a new Building Safety Regulator. Their consultation document, Building a Safer Future, can be read online here.

We are urging all social housing tenants and leaseholders to respond to the government’s consultation by the deadline of Wednesday 31st July 2019 at 11.45pm. Tenants and leaseholders can respond by sending their views to buildingsafetyconsultation@communities.gov.uk

London Tenants Federation members agree in principle with the introduction of a new Building Safety Regulator but have identified a number of concerning shortfalls in the government’s proposals. This document, produced with support from Dr Stuart Hodkinson, University of Leeds, and former firefighter, Phil Murphy, provides an example response which highlights our key concerns.

Please feel free to use and adapt this document in your response to the consultation. 

Proposals contained in this example response include:

• That the new system be properly funded by central government and independent of political and commercial interference
• That desk-based fire risk assessments be banned
• A ban on combustible cladding, to apply to new and existing buildings
• A requirement for sprinklers in new and existing buildings above 11 metres in height
• Mandatory annual fire drills for residential tower blocks above 11 metres in height
• A compensation scheme for families affected by compliance breaches
• Criminal offences to be introduced for compliance breaches