Shabana has been contacted by several constituents regarding ongoing concerns about cladding on leasehold properties.

After the Grenfell Tower disaster the Government created a £200m fund to make safe private properties more than 18 metres tall with the same ACM cladding. However, recent comments from Lord Porter outline that ACM is not the only cladding system that poses a risk to residents. He suggests that the Government needs to come forward urgently with funding to support the removal of HPL and other dangerous systems.

Shabana recently met with a constituent regarding cladding on leasehold properties. The constituent represents leaseholders on a site in Birmingham, Ladywood with over 140 flats. In the meeting the constituent raised a new issue around the insurance of buildings with non-ACM cladding. He explained that leaseholders are being threatened with the removal of insurance, which itself would invalidate leaseholder’s mortgages.

The insurance premium at the site in question has already more that quadrupled, and like the estimated £6 million it will cost to address the cladding, the cost falls on individual leaseholders. The constituent believes that the Government should take action to address the panic in the insurance industry. The issue is comparable to those who face lack of access to insurance due to living in areas with high instance of flooding.

Shabana raised these questions at the recent Westminster Hall debate on cladding, watch her contribution here. Shabana has also written to the relevant Minister on this issue seeking answers.

Commenting on the scandal, Shabana Mahmood said:

“Government inaction post-Grenfell has left tens of thousands of leaseholders, including those living in my constituency, in a situation where they are unable to insure their property, unable to sell or remortgage, and unable to pay for vital remedial works.

“Leaseholders in places like the Islington Gates development in Birmingham shouldn’t be having to fork out tens of thousands of pounds each for remedial works and cladding removal. The government must take some responsibility for legislative mistakes that were made in the past.”