Bristol’s building safety crisis uncovered

Steph Pike has been living with constant worry since receiving the news that put her life on hold nine months ago.

After scrimping and saving for years, the solicitor was proud to buy her first home in a newly renovated building in Redcliffe in 2017.

But an email in November last year stating the flat has serious safety defects and is a potential fire hazard marked the start of a nightmare.

The revelation has left her effectively trapped in a home that is unsellable and facing skyrocketing bills that could reach upwards of £70,000.

“It really is taking its toll on a lot of people, it’s the constant uncertainty of not knowing when we might have to pay or what we will have to pay,” says Pike wearily.

“I just feel like I’m in a constant battle. It’s exhausting. When you’re working full time, you just want to have a home that you can live in.”

Prices in The Milliners, a development of 109 apartments, started at £151,000 in 2017 with the Government’s Help to Buy scheme – photo: Martin Booth

The Milliners on the corner of Victoria Street and St Thomas Street, close to the Fleece, was deemed to be such a safety risk that a ‘waking watch’ team was employed to keep a round-the-clock check on the apartment block – at a cost of £4,500 per week.

When Pike bought her first home in the converted former office block that was completed in the wake of the Grenfell fire tragedy, she did all the necessary due diligence to ensure the building had been signed off as safe.

It then came as a huge shock when surveys carried out by a new management company revealed an array of issues – from combustible materials and insulation to incorrectly installed wall cavity barriers and timber balconies – with remedial work expected to cost £7.6m; almost as much as the £7.9m cost of converting the building from offices to flats.

“That day I saw the money is over £7.6m, I was just beside myself,” Pike tells Bristol24/7.

“I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t really work. I just walked around outside in a bit of a daze because I didn’t know what to do.”

What is now The Milliners was previously an office block, pictured here in 2009 – photo: Google

The Milliners in 2019 – photo: Google

Grey GR Ltd, the freeholder of The Milliners, says the safety of residents is the top priority and stressed the “terrible situation” is one that neither the leaseholders of freeholder are responsible for.

The firm is seeking funds from the government to cover the work but confirmed this will fall to residents if the bid is unsuccessful.

Pike argues that while companies across the UK are quick to say safety is a priority, the toll on people’s mental health as they face immense financial stress and possible bankruptcy is being largely ignored.

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Read more: ‘End the cladding scandal once and for all’

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The cladding crisis uncovered since the Grenfell fire tragedy set in motion a series of changes to regulations and legislation. The fallout eventually led to the government announcing a £5bn fund to cover the cost of replacing unsafe cladding on buildings more than 18 metres in height, as they are deemed to be most at risk.

Yet this provides little comfort to the many residents in apartment blocks under the 18-metre cut-off – and flammable cladding has been described as just “the tip of the iceberg” in terms of building safety issues following years of deregulation.

Hundreds of people in Bristol are facing a David versus Goliath battle for justice in a system that fails to hold companies to account and could leave leaseholders footing the bill for something that was not their fault.

Luke MacCallum and his partner were just days away from completing on the sale of their flat in Armidale Place, on the corner of Cheltenham Road and Bath Buildings in Montpelier, when they received notice of safety issues that were to put their future plans on hold.

The couple lost the dream house and are stuck in limbo facing “extortionate” remedial costs and ineligible for financial support.

Unable to get an EWS1 (external wall fire review) form – a record of what assessments have been carried out on the external wall construction of residential apartment buildings that was introduced as a requirement for lenders in the wake of Grenfell – means that their flat is effectively unsellable.

The government has since changed its advice to say EWS1 forms should not be requested for buildings below 18 metres in height, but this came too late for MacCallum and others like him.

Luke MacCallum and his partner are now effectively trapped in a flat they are unable to sell

“We’re pretty much trapped here really – there’s no way out so life’s been on hold for over a year, and it’s probably going to be on hold for a few more years at this rate,” says MacCallum, speaking from his one-bedroom apartment in Armidale Place.

“We go through waves of anger, frustration and despair on a daily basis and are just hoping that something changes. It’s a bit of a David and Goliath scenario because individuals can’t challenge the big developers.”

MacCallum, who works for the Soil Association, says there is nothing anyone in the building could have done differently to mitigate against this crisis as the property was bought in good faith with all required safety assurances at the time. It was only when surveys were carried out by the management company that issues were uncovered.

Linden Homes, the developer behind Armidale Place, has responded to the ongoing concerns, saying that they “fully sympathise with residents affected by recent changes to building regulations and continue to work with the government and sector bodies to find an industry solution that is practical and fair to all parties”.

But MacCallum is frustrated by the lack of rights afforded to leaseholders, who have to go through the freeholder to challenge developers.

“The ironic thing about this whole thing is we have more protection buying something off Amazon,” says MacCallum.

A further “punch in the gut” came when the management company, Hazelvine – a sister company to freeholders Qdime – informed residents they would need to appoint another company to oversee the remedial work, with an estimated additional price tag of ten per cent of the work itself. Qdime has been approached for comment.

The Building Safety Map indicates 20 buildings in Bristol are known to be affected by fire safety issues – image taken from the Building Safety Map website

The exact number of leaseholders affected by the building safety crisis in Bristol is unknown. The city council has confirmed none of the 62 residential blocks it owns and manages have the flammable cladding.

According to the national Building Safety Map, launched by a community of leaseholders, a total of 20 buildings in Bristol have been identified as having safety issues.

One of the most prominent privately-owned tower blocks in the city centre, above Harvey Nichols, has been shrouded in scaffolding for months while combustible material is removed.

Work is ongoing to remove combustible cladding from the privately-owned residential block above Harvey Nichols in Quakers Friars – photo: Ellie Pipe

Former shadow housing minister Thangam Debbonaire says the lack of clarity over numbers is part of the problem.

She believes hundreds – probably thousands – are caught up in the scandal through no fault of their own and says cladding is just “the tip of the iceberg”.

The MP for Bristol West says issues with fire safety were revealed following the Lakanal House fire in south London which killed six people, long before the Grenfell tragedy claimed 72 lives, and recommendations were made about issues such as cladding and sprinklers.

“There are buildings which have gone up since Grenfell with dangerous cladding on. I went into one in particular that haunts me now,” Debbonaire tells Bristol24/7.

She argues that the loosening of building regulations under successive Tory governments – and the coalition – is to blame for the current crisis.

Schemes such as permitted development rights, which enable former office blocks such as The Milliners to be turned into residential flats without the need for planning permission, have enabled developers to build housing with minimum scrutiny or checks.

The MP says it is almost impossible for individuals to hold developers to account when they are up against either major conglomerates or companies that have since gone into liquidation.

“Meanwhile, they’re living in their own flats which are probably dangerous and they can’t sell them,” says Debbonaire.

She is calling on the government to take the burden away from leaseholders and fund remedial work upfront. She says an independent agency should be set up by the government to go after the developers or builders at fault for payment.

Lib Dem councillor Alex Hartley says some 600 people are affected by the building safety crisis in his ward alone – photo: Ellie Pipe

In Alex Hartley’s Hotwells & Harbourside ward, there are six buildings known to be caught up in the building safety crisis, affecting some 298 flats and around 600 people.

“Given that I’ve only got 4,500 residents (in the ward), it’s a fairly sizable amount,” says the Lib Dem councillor.

“One lady I spoke to who was 78. She’s got a bill of £32,000. She’s on fixed income, she can’t afford to just fork out thirty grand.”

Hartley says there has been cross-party efforts in the city to tackle the ongoing issue, with Bristol City Council passing a motion in December backing the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign.

But he believes it is down to the government to take action and stump up the funds to take the financial burden off residents.

“They’re the only ones who can either put the money forward or create the legislation as necessary in order to fix this problem once and for all,” says Hartley.

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Read more: ‘The interests of people who live in the affected buildings must not take second place’

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One resident, who prefers not to be named, lives in a shared ownership flat in one of the buildings affected within the Harbourside development and has been told she could be asked to cover the costs of up to £40,000 for remedial work.

“It’s been a nightmare,” she tells Bristol24/7. “What’s really hard is the uncertainty.

“I have had to reduce my hours at work [due to stress]. I have never been in debt and now look at what I’m facing, I feel traumatised. I just scraped the affordability [when buying the property] but can’t afford any extra.”

Tom Renhard, Bristol’s cabinet member for housing, told Bristol24/7 that the council continues to closely monitor the situation “and will continue to work with the owners within the national statutory provisions available to it”.

He said: “In response to the recent statement made regarding the use of EWS1 forms for buildings under 18 metres, I have written to the minister to call for further steps to be taken to end the leaseholder cladding scandal that has trapped so many.”

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) told Bristol24/7 it is spending the £5bn pot to make “the biggest improvements to building safety in a generation” and has also made it clear to owners that buildings should be made safe without costs being passed on to leaseholders.

“We will also ensure developers help to fund the fixing of historical safety defects with a new levy and tax to contribute to the costs of cladding replacement,” said an MHCLG spokesperson.

“In line with expert advice, we’ve also set out that EWS1 forms should not be requested for buildings below 18 metres – we urge the market to follow this approach and ensure relevant guidance is updated in light of the latest evidence.”

The proposed levy, brought forward under the Building Safety Bill, will be targeted and apply when developers seek approval to develop certain high-rise buildings in England.

The proposed tax will apply to the largest housing developers for the money they make from residential property.

Lottie Wild (left), pictured with Steph Pike at The Milliners, says the financial worry and uncertainty of living in the unsafe building is taking its toll

Back at The Milliners, the government’s reassurances mean little to Lottie Wild, who is currently unable to sell the one-bedroom apartment she and her partner own, and is living with the constant financial worry of escalating costs.

“It’s a huge unknown because they keep stressing that if they can’t recover the costs, they will come to us,” says Wild, standing on the doorstep of the block she is desperate to move away from,

“We’re on appeal at the moment. There’s absolutely no news about that and we’ve been on it for months now and I think a lot of buildings on appeal, and there isn’t enough money in that fund to cover everybody…

“It just feels like we can’t move on. We saved up for the flat and put a lot of money into decorating it. And it just feels like, because we’re going to get a bill for 60 or 70 grand, and all of that has gone to waste, really.”

Wild, who works at the Soil Association, adds: “I think quite a lot of people used Help to Buy in this building. So they weren’t huge expensive apartments; it’s just normal people with normal salaries.”

She points out that even if costs are covered through a payment plan, that’s a financial burden many still can’t afford.

Responding to the issues raised by residents, a spokesperson for Grey GR said: “This is a terrible situation which neither the leaseholders nor Grey have caused.

“Whether it is the system of building regulations that has failed or poor construction standards, the cost of putting these issues right will need to be met through the service charge, unless another third party can be found to have legal liability, or the government provides sufficient grant funding.”

The firm continues: “The safety of residents in their homes has been and remains Grey’s principal concern. Grey have been actively involved with the process to make sure that the building is made safe as quickly as possible and made sure that correct steps have been put in place to protect leaseholders from the costs.”

Grey also says it has applied to the Waking Watch Relief Fund for the costs of installing a new fire alarm system and, in the meantime, is continuing to forward fund the costs of the fire alarm installation to prevent incurring further ‘waking watch’ costs.

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Is there a solution to the building safety crisis?

A Polluter Pays Bill has been drafted by a campaigner in London that, if adopted, could force developers that breached building regulations to pay for all remedial work, assuming the responsible party can be found.

It is based on the principle that those who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it to prevent damage to human health or the environment.

Having gained the backing of a number of MPs already, the Polluter Pays Bill is currently offering hope to people affected by the building safety crisis in Bristol. But, in the meantime, worry and uncertainty remain a part of everyday life for many.

For information about unsafe building cladding issues in Bristol, visit www.bristol.gov.uk/policies-plans-strategies/unsafe-building-cladding-info

Main photo: Ellie Pipe

Read more: Bristol West MP slams government’s response to cladding scandal 

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