Taxpayers shouldn't bail out leaseholders living with dangerous cladding, says campaigner
24 February 2021, 15:11 | Updated: 24 February 2021, 15:17
'Taxpayers shouldn't bail out leaseholders in defective buildings'
Taxpayers shouldn't have to pay to bail out leaseholders living in buildings covered in dangerous cladding, a campaigner has told LBC.
Cladding campaigner Steve Day made the remarks as a group of Tory rebels have urged the Government to accept an amendment that would protect leaseholders in England from paying for emergency fire safety work on their flats.
More than 30 Conservative MPs have backed the modification to the Fire Safety Bill, arguing it's essential to prevent leaseholders from suddenly facing costs that could run to tens of thousands of pounds with just weeks to pay amid the Cladding Crisis.
However, the Downing Street has indicated it won't support the amendment and will instead insist that it has already put together a "large package" of support for leaseholders living in blocks covered in dangerous cladding.
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Mr Day told LBC's Shelagh Fogarty: "Firstly, we don't expect the taxpayer to pay to bail out the leaseholders.
"Now that has been floated around and hinted at by the Government. But we believe the polluter should pay.
"So the developers...like we're hearing in the Grenfell Inquiry, may have a hand in misselling products, fudging tests and so on.
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"But the developer should ultimately have their buildings checked to see if their buildings were built correctly to building regulations in force at the time of constructions.
The Fire Safety Bill was drawn up to strengthen regulations after the Grenfell Tower disaster on 14 June 2017, which left 72 people dead.
At present, there is insufficient support to overturn the Government's majority when it comes to vote on the legislation.
