Islington Council signs up to national campaign to support cladding victims

The ongoing, nationwide issues around unsafe cladding have left some Islington residents trapped in properties that they are unable to sell, and facing the substantial costs of addressing fire safety issues at their homes. 

This issue is worsened by the fact that, prior to selling, homeowners need to attain an EWS1 form to prove that their property is safe, especially as guidance issued by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on EWS1 forms is often inconsistently applied by lenders. 

Last night (Thursday, 8 July), Islington Council therefore agreed to adopt the 10 asks of the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign.  

These include lobbying central Government to provide the necessary funds to make every building in Islington safe from cladding and other fire safety risks, at no cost to leaseholders. The asks also include reform of the EWS1 process, offering mental health support for affected residents, and protecting residents from historic and future costs.  

Cllr Diarmaid Ward, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Housing and Development, said: “We are determined to do all we can to ensure that everyone in our borough has a decent, safe and secure place to call home.  

“It is more than four years since the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy, and yet Government inaction has meant that cladding issues are just as prevalent today as they were in 2017.  

“This has left many residents in limbo, unable to mortgage and remortgage properties, and therefore unable to buy or sell. This is fundamentally holding up people’s lives, costing Islington residents money they shouldn’t have to pay to address cladding issues, and putting them under unnecessary stress. 

“It is clear that urgent action is needed to rectify this issue, which is why the council is calling for central Government to fund the removal of all dangerous cladding at no cost to leaseholders, reform the EWS1 system, and offer mental health support to affected residents.” 

The 10 asks of the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign, which the council agreed to adopt at last night’s Full Council meeting, include: 

1. Urgent removal of all dangerous cladding  
2. Building Safety Fund must cover all buildings  
3. Government should provide money up front & recover from responsible parties
4. Social Housing providers must have full & equal access to fund 
5. Building owners must be honest with fire safety defects 
6. Government should cover cost of interim safety measures  
7. Government should act as insurer & underwrite premiums  
8. Replace EWS  
9. Mental health support must be offered to affected residents  
10. Protect residents from historic & future costs 

More information on these asks can be found on the End Our Cladding Scandal website, and the full motion that was agreed at Full Council can be found here.