Suffolk leaseholders 'feeling positive' after visit from Minister
Leaseholders have been meeting a Government Minister to discuss the building safety crisis in Suffolk
Last updated 12th Apr 2022
Residents caught up in the building safety crisis in Suffolk have been meeting with a Government Minister who came to see first-hand what life is like in a dangerous building.
Leaseholders and councillors met with Lord Greenhalgh, Minister for Building safety and Fire to discuss what more can be done for those involved in the building safety crisis.
St Francis Tower view from the inside
St Francis Tower view from the inside
Alex Dickin from the campaign group Ipswich Cladiators spoke to us after the meeting: "As a campaign group, it was a really important moment for us to meet a government minister, directly involved with the decision-making on firstly who pays for the cladding and building safety crisis, and also other areas such as how remediation takes place on residential buildings.
"It has taken a long time. It does feel like we've reached a milestone in the campaign, the fact that this minister has visited our town today.
"As a town of Ipswich, we've only got 19 effected buildings by this crisis, compared to at least 1000 in London and hundreds across other cities, such as Liverpool and Manchester.
"The MP for Tom hunt was there and he's been supporting our campaign and residents affected by the building safety crisis.
"It was really good to have him there as kind of like the middle person dealing with the government minister, as well as leaseholders and residents."
As part of the visit they took a tour around Caroline Hayden-Knowell's flat, who lives on the 15th floor of the St. Francis tower.
It was so they could see what it's like to live in a flat wrapped in shrink wrap.
Alex told us "the overwhelming emotion was shock from all of us, including the government minister.
"To be honest, that is the exact reaction that we needed from the minister.
"And I hope that that shock, transfers into action. It was a complete shock and trying to work out why the building is in this condition.
"And they were trying to gauge what the view was like, what the kind of natural light there would be in a normal situation in order to then work out what they were seeing with their own eyes.
"They concluded that the situation at St. Francis tower and any other building in this situation is completely unacceptable. And I would agree with that point.
"And that some form of code practice needs to be enforced so that the so-called professional managing agents and contractors actually put the residents' lives first, rather than their pockets."
Local resident Caroline Hayden-Knowell, who showed the Minister around St. Francis Tower, commented; “Following our conversation, the Minister firmly understood the situation we face here in St. Francis Tower and joins Tom in being keen to do something about it urgently.
"I know they both want to see better regulations and I felt heard following these discussions. I hope that today’s visit will result in active changes, and I will continue to work with Tom going forward.”
Alan Mison, a resident at one of the Orwell Quay blocks being remediated commented on the meeting: “My personal opinion was that the Minister wanted to cut through the red tape and see action quickly."
"I know how important it is that transparency and clarity, two words we don’t here often, are at the forefront of all actions going forward.”
The Meeting
- After visiting St Francis Tower, Lord Greenhalgh, the MP for Ipswich Tom Hunt, Alex Dickin, Caroline Haydon-Knowell, Alan Mison from Orwell Quay, and Developers, Block Management (David Collinson) met to discuss the future for residents.
Alex told us what they spoke about: "The other aspects of the crisis, and the main issue for me and other leaseholders is the financial side of the crisis.
"Recently there's been movement by the government where they're placing caps onto leaseholders based on the property that they own.
"And for myself, I'm in the fortunate position where once the building safety bill comes more legally, I will be protected from any costs relating to this crisis.
"So that puts me in a great position. However, my neighbours and other buildings across the country are in a situation where they may not reach the criteria.
"And they could be kept cost of £10,000 pounds, if not more.
"And that puts us all in a difficult position where money rules the world.
"And if our projects are not funded and there is a funding shortfall, the projects to fix our buildings, to make them safe will not start.
"I've been campaigning on this issue for 18 months now, and I joined the campaign quite late on there's other leaseholders in cities where they've been campaigning for four years now.
"And they're still living in buildings with unsafe material on the outside and other internal defects as well.
"There wasn't any concrete plan or evidence to say that something will definitely change, but there was an overwhelming theme or feeling that there was going to be some positive outcome from today's visit."
Ipswich MP, Tom Hunt, said: “I was pleased to welcome the Minister for Building Safety, Lord Greenhalgh to Ipswich this afternoon."
"Many will know how hard I have fought for those in Ipswich affected by remediation works and the unacceptable approach of management companies, like those running St. Francis Tower.
"With the opportunity to show Lord Greenhalgh one of the flats in St. Francis Tower, it was all too clear how unacceptable he himself also found the conditions, referring to it as one of the worst examples he had seen, with much of the natural light blocked and windows unable to open fully.
"Unfortunately, this is not a new situation, and the mental effects on residents of being forced to live in what has been described as a prison by some, are all too clear to see.
"Despite calling out Block Management’s actions several times in the media and in Parliament, I remained surprised at how little progress has taken place.
"I genuinely believed that the works would have progressed massively by now, but it is further evidence of how poor communication has left many unaware of what is going on.
"I wanted to highlight this to the Minister, through organising discussions with local tenants and owners, and a tour of the building itself.
"Like myself, the Minister was shocked at the obvious failings, and I am encouraged by his determination to push these remediation works forward.
"He also acknowledges that these works must be carried out safely, but in a way that is respectful and mindful of the mental health of the residents living in the blocks.
"The conditions in St. Francis Tower remain unacceptable, and I am reassured that the highest levels of government now see with their own eyes, what these management companies try to get away with.”
What happens next?
"On the effects of remediation for residents, they're looking or hoping to enforce some kind of statutory code of practice, where companies will have to follow certain guidelines or rules when they are fixing buildings, which are affected by the Cladding Crisis.
We asked Alex if the recent law change (which has not been passed yet, that says leaseholders with less than 3 properties do not have to pay for the repairs, but those who own more than 3 do.) was brought up within this meeting.
"I asked about that and made it clear how, even though I am personally protected by costs, I cannot sell my property until the whole building is fixed.
"And because my neighbours aren't necessarily covered financially.
"If they cannot afford that £10,000 bill, for example, the work isn't gonna start.
"And I'm still going to be the owner of a property, that's to be honest, I don't want to live in for years and years to come.
"I want to move on and buy a house."
Light at the end of the tunnel?
Alex added: "I felt positive, but at the same time, it's such a strange feeling to be in a meeting, have a government minister discussing such terrible living conditions and such a dramatic crisis. That's affecting all of our lives on a daily basis.
"I wake up thinking about the cladding on the outside of the building.
"The overall aim is to abolish leasehold and move onto common hold
"And this is where anyone who owns a property in the building owns a small chunk of that building and we work together to run and maintain that building.
"It's an ongoing campaign and eventually in this country we want to see the end of leasehold.
"Through out the rest of the world leaseholder no longer exists as it does feel like a completely medieval process.
"I do see an answer to this, but it's going to be two or three years at least until we see significant progress where we see more buildings like St Frances tower being fixed."