Headlines have been awash in recent years with stories about leaseholders bearing the brunt of costly fire safety works and its implications. Since the tragic events at Grenfell Tower in 2017, many mid- and high-rise apartment blocks have faced huge challenges as defects have been identified, associated with their original construction and, often, the use of unsafe cladding on the external walls. That puts the fire safety of the property at risk - and without remediation works, leaseholders have been left with properties that are potentially unsafe and unsaleable.
The Building Safety Act 2022 went some way to offer leaseholders protection from such challenges, and a Building Remediation Portfolio has been developed with the objective of ensuring residents are safe from risks associated with fire safety. Part of that portfolio has been the opening of the Cladding Safety Scheme in June 2023: designed to provide funding to eligible residential properties to cover the cost of cladding remediation.
But the process of applying for, and securing, such funding is not straightforward.
Stories across the country have shown apartment blocks ‘falling through the gaps’ in funding options - leaving leaseholders to cover the cost, or being left with unsafe cladding and all its implications.
We know, first-hand, just how challenging cladding remediation can be: and we’re proud to say we’ve made a difference to leaseholders by applying our expertise - and persistence - to get them the very best outcomes.
“Applying for substantial government funding is never going to be a straightforward process. Understandably there needs to be strict criteria to meet, and rigorous checks made to ensure eligibility,” explains Estate Management Director, Dean Clarke at Encore.
For leaseholders, who are already in a high-stress situation dealing with a potentially unsafe building, navigating these requirements isn’t easy. That’s where we’ve been able to play an active role that makes a tangible difference to the apartment blocks we work with.
We’ve used our expertise and extensive fire safety knowledge from 20 years of property management to help the RMCs and leaseholders we work with secure funding that helps not only financially, but also in improving quality of life because residents can have peace-of-mind that fire safety issues will be rectified.
We’ve even fought the corner for leaseholders when funding applications have been declined - because our expertise told us that ‘no’ wasn’t an acceptable answer.”
An example of cladding remediation funding being successfully secured is at a development Encore has been the appointed managing agent of since 2012. The six-storey apartment block is a highly-regarded, and sought-after, development within walking distance of a buzzing city centre in the East of England.
As with all other high-rise buildings under Encore’s management, the apartment block was registered with the Building Safety Regulator ahead of the deadline - September 2023 for ‘higher-risk’ residential buildings.
Having identified the cladding for the building may be a fire safety hazard, the Encore team swiftly applied for Homes England’s Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS) in June 2023.
Extensive work went into the application with robust submission materials needed to meet the extensive eligibility criteria of the CSS, including (but not limited to):
And all of this was after a lot of work applying for alternative funding and ensuring the immediate safety of residents:
“Initially, our team made an application to the 2020 Building Safety Fund which was unfortunately declined as the building didn’t meet the guidelines for this specific funding. But knowing there were risks identified, we wanted to ensure there were measures in place to ensure resident safety, even whilst updated guidance from the government was awaited,” explains Dean Clarke, Estate Management Director.
Working with the Directors of the Residents Management Company for the development, we undertook a review of preventative measures to protect the safety of residents. Using guidance from the region’s fire and rescue service and qualified health and safety professionals, a Type 4 Fire Risk Assessment was completed. This is the most thorough type of Fire Risk Assessment which looks into the buildings fabric with intrusive methods and includes all areas of the building such as the common areas, landlord spaces and residence demised areas.”
As a result of the findings of the façade survey and subsequent internal assessment, the following actions were taken:
These steps ensured the integrity of individual compartments and escape routes – and throughout the process the fire brigade was consulted continuously, with meetings and calls. Thorough records were maintained by all parties.
“Taking these measures, Encore and our client were able to move at pace to prioritise the safeguarding of resident safety, whilst the legislative environment constantly changed,” adds Dean.
“Following the release of the PAS9980:2022 Fire Risk Appraisal Methodology, our Estate Manager for the development, alongside different consultants, contractors, and the appointed fire engineers, worked to attain a full PAS9980 report.
“Since receiving the report, we have corresponded with Homes England to secure eligibility acceptance for the updated CSS. Throughout this entire process, leaseholders were kept up to date, ensuring they have explanations of how the various processes would operate.
“We knew CSS funds would make a dramatic difference to outcomes for leaseholders, but we needed to jump through a lot of hoops. The professionalism of our team, and the prioritisation of resident safety at every step, got us there after months of work. In September 2023 we received the great news that the application had been accepted.”
For the apartment block and its leaseholders, the CSS means pre-tender support funding will reduce – and possibly negate – the financial impact on leaseholders to fund the appointment of surveying and architectural teams to define, specify and tender the required works.
Homes England will subsequently make available additional funds as required to move to formal tendering and appointing subcontractors to execute all the required works.
“The fact the apartment block has been accepted on to the CSS is testament to our brilliant team.
They continuously brought professionalism to a challenging situation, had confidence in their expertise and kept the health, safety and financial wellbeing of leaseholders at the heart of it all. In turn, that means our client has had a huge burden lifted from their shoulders, knowing our experts have had everything in hand,” adds Encore CEO, Joaquim Fillola.
From the get-go, over 20 years ago, Encore has put the health and safety of residents as its priority. The impact on property management with recent, unprecedented changes to building safety regulations has, as a result, been something that we’ve been able to use our collective knowledge and professional experience to navigate. The example we’ve explored here is just one instance where this has made a tangible difference to leaseholders.
If you’re looking for a managing agent that brings the very best expertise in building and fire safety, then we would be delighted to have an informal conversation and find out more about your development and community. Get in touch with our experts.