Pressure builds to replace unsafe cladding on private tower blocks

Housebuilders face renewed pressure to fund the replacement of dangerous cladding on private towers after fear of a repeat of the Grenfell Tower fire led government to pledge £200m to speed up the process.

The government confirmed yesterday that it would launch a fund for remedial work in about 170 tower blocks that used the same type of cladding involved in the Grenfell disaster, which led to the deaths of 72 people.

Developers including Barratt Developments, Legal & General and Taylor Wimpey have already funded remedial work. However, some private landlords have tried to pass on the cost to leaseholders, or have left buildings with dangerous cladding.

The Guardian adds that housing secretary James Brokenshire said refusal by some property firms to fix Grenfell-style material is morally indefensible.

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