黑洞社区

Housing secretary Michael Gove told the House of Commons today he will 鈥済o after鈥� any developers or building firms who are profiting from unsafe construction or refurbishment works.

鈥淭o those who mis-sold products like cladding or insulation, to those who cut corners to save cash as they developed or refurbished people鈥檚 homes, to those who sought to profiteer from the consequences of the Grenfell tragedy, we are coming for you,鈥� Gove added.

The secretary of state said he had set up a team in the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities department that will 鈥渆xpose and pursue鈥� developers who are not adhering to the 黑洞社区 Safety Programme, by paying to remediate unsafe homes.

> In case you missed it: Michael Gove鈥檚 building safety speech in full

He added there would be 鈥渃ommercial consequences for any company which is responsible for this crisis and is refusing to fix it鈥�.

This morning Gove demanded developers pay the 拢4bn cost of remediating unsafe cladding on tower blocks.

He said the largest housebuilders have until early March to agree to contribute to a new fund to cover the cost of safety works on buildings 11m to 18m in height. This will replace a previously proposed loan scheme for leaseholders to cover the cost of these buildings.

He said he had been explicitly assured by the Treasury that he could use the threat of a 拢4bn new developer tariff, further to the 拢2bn Residential Property Developer Levy already set up, in order to bring housebuilders to the table.

But a spokesperson for the mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: 鈥淟easeholders living in buildings with non-cladding related defects will be deeply disappointed and distressed that today鈥檚 announcement will do nothing for them, as they face eye-watering charges to make their homes safe.鈥�

Mike Robinson, chief executive of British Safety Council, said it was 鈥渞ight that the construction industry continues to play its part鈥� but added that the government should also 鈥渟houlder its own responsibilities鈥�.

He added: 鈥淲e need to see all sides taking a positive and constructive approach to discussions between now and March.鈥�

Geeta Nanda, chair of the G15 biggest housing associations and chief executive of housing association Metropolitan Thames Valley, warned:  鈥淭he focus on restoring proportionality to the system is crucial and we urgently need to see further details of how the government will achieve this in coordination with lenders and insurers. Today鈥檚 announcements are not a complete solution for the wider building safety crisis.鈥�