EXCLUSIVE: fire service investigating FOUR Sheffield high rise buildings with risky cladding
Leaseholders have set up a new action group
Last updated 30th Nov 2020
We can exclusively reveal the fire service is investigating at least four high rise residential buildings in Sheffield which have risky cladding or insulation.
Since the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, thousands of leaseholders across the UK have found out their buildings are flammable and they'll have to foot the bill for changes to make them safe.
This year we've covered worries about the Metis building in the city centre which has Grenfell-style cladding on it.
Now it's emerged at least three others in the city are facing similar problems. Leaseholders in all four have grouped together to form the new Sheffeld Cladding Action Group.
Adam is one of them - he tells us the cladding on his building failed fire safety tests after Grenfell:
"I felt shocked to say the least. I was shocked that this hadn't been brought up at any point during my lengthy time of buying the flat. You find out you've got all these problems and you're the one who's going to foot the bill.
"I don't think anybody's going to feel safe if you've told they've got a building that could go up in 15 minutes. We've had to spend more time than ever this year at home - I would have been safer working in an office surely.
"I've acted in good faith, putting my money into this place to build myself a future. You just feel let down. You feel like everybody else has jumped ship - everybody that's put this place together - and I'm just left sinking."
Adam's already had to help pay for changes to fire stoppage in his building and is waiting to find out if he'll have to contribute to the cost of removing the problematic cladding too, or whether money from a government fund will cover it.
He says he feels trapped:
"Just getting these bills, you've got a shadow hanging over you the whole time you're living here. And there's nothing I feel like I can do about it hence we've joined together and started this group to unite leaseholders.
"If you were to go and work in any workplace and it was deemed unsafe there'd be things happening about it. I've been working from home this whole year - my workspace isn't safe but now I'm being told I'm the one going to have to fork out for it."
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue say they're looking into the problems in all four buildings and will be inspecting every high rise residential building over 18 metres of six storeys by the end of next year.
A spokesperson told us:
“We’re very aware of these buildings and our recently launched Building Risk Review team is currently looking into the various issues that have been identified.
“This team is made up of specialist fire safety inspectors who are committed to working with building owners and managers to ensure any necessary work is carried out.
“Residents should be assured that their safety is always our top priority."
Adam only found out about the problems with his building last year and had no idea about them when he bought his flat three and a half years ago.
It was only because of a campaign led by other leaseholders across the UK that he knew others were in the same position as him.
He fears there could be many others in Sheffield with problems in their buildings without knowing it:
"Who knows how many buildings there are out there which can't get insurance or should be seen as highly risky but haven't actually had the test yet. I think this is a sleeping giant which is going to awaken and it's going to cause some people some real distress.
"Take a look at the Sheffield skyline - there are so many of these buildings out there."
The UK Cladding Action Group is calling for more support from the government to help leasholders who are having to pay to make their own buildings safe.
Ministers have launched a fund to cover some of the cost of getting rid of Grenfell-style cladding but it doesn't cover other dangerous materials and campaigners say it's not nearly enough.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government told us:
“We understand many people will be worried – our priority is making sure residents are safe and feel safe in their homes by removing dangerous cladding as quickly as possible.
“We have given £1.6 billion to speed up the removal of cladding – and we are making significant progress, with work complete or under way in almost 80% of high-rise buildings with ACM cladding, rising to above 95% in the social housing sector.
“Building safety is the responsibility of building owners and they should seek the costs of remediation work from developers and their warranty schemes, without passing them on to leaseholders.
“We are developing affordable solutions where needed and will provide more details in due course.”