NISTA has downgraded its confidence in the delivery of the cladding remediation programme, citing growing concerns about capacity constraints and rising construction costs. The update suggests increased delivery risk for a programme that remains central to addressing building safety defects.
A London landlord and his property management company have been fined and ordered to pay court costs totalling £63,000 after being prosecuted over unsafe conditions at an unlicensed 22-room HMO in Kensington and Chelsea. The case involved serious fire and health and safety failings, including damaged fire doors, inadequate fire separation, covered alarms and electrical defects, with the court finding the operators failed to act on opportunities to remedy the issues.
The article reports that Oxford and Cambridge have the highest shares of HMOs outside London, based on analysis by Property Buyers Today. It also argues that new licensing rules and the Renters’ Rights Act are reshaping the HMO market by encouraging higher standards and potentially reducing supply from less compliant landlords.
X1 Manchester Waters has entered administration with debts of £25.7m, including more than £24m owed to 336 investors who paid deposits on unbuilt flats. The administrator’s report cites construction cost inflation, fire-safety remediation costs on other X1 schemes, and leasehold reform as contributing factors, while freeholder Peel Land is seeking an alternative route to complete the homes.
NISTA has downgraded the government’s cladding remediation programme to a red rating, stating that delivery now appears to be unachievable. The warning cites inflation and delays within the Building Safety Regulator as key constraints on progress.
The government has announced changes to the Cladding Safety Scheme and building assessment certificate processes, with remediation funding for buildings under 11 metres to be prioritised by risk to residents rather than height alone. It also signalled wider building safety reforms, including a future Single Construction Regulator, a National Remediation Database from autumn 2026, and further consultations to streamline regulatory processes while maintaining safety standards.
The Government has extended cladding remediation funding to low-rise buildings under 11 metres, with support to be channelled through the existing Cladding Safety Scheme and prioritised by risk to life. Campaigners have welcomed the move in principle but warn that limited funding and a case-by-case approach could prolong delays for leaseholders facing unresolved safety defects.
Latest HSE data shows a significant year-on-year fall in recorded fire safety breaches and enforcement notices on construction sites, but fire-related injuries have remained broadly unchanged. The article also notes two public fatalities in explosions in 2024/25 and highlights ongoing concerns about inspection capacity and enforcement levels.
A landlord and his management company were convicted over multiple HMO offences relating to unsafe conditions at a property in Kensington and Chelsea, including operating without a licence and failing to comply with an improvement notice. After a retrial, the original £480,000 penalties were reduced substantially, though the court still found serious breaches involving fire, health and safety, damp and mould, and poor living conditions.
The Regulator of Social Housing has published first consumer grades for four landlords: Aster Group, Charnwood Borough Council, Dover District Council and Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association. Aster achieved C1, while the other three received C2, with the judgements highlighting strengths in repairs, stock understanding and governance alongside weaknesses in anti-social behaviour handling, tenant engagement, fire safety actions and complaints handling.
The City of London Corporation has issued a tender for a £35.1m refurbishment of Crescent House, a Grade II*-listed residential tower on the Golden Lane Estate. The occupied higher-risk building project will combine fabric repairs, M&E replacement, fire safety and wider building safety upgrades, with delivery planned in phased stages from preconstruction through to main works.
The article highlights a mismatch between current fire test standards and modern construction methods, creating challenges when applying tested firestopping details to real-world building conditions. It notes that these gaps can make it difficult for stakeholders to rely on existing test evidence for contemporary applications.
