© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
© 2025 News On The Block. All rights reserved.
News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.
Scanlans is the managing agent for numerous apartment blocks around the country, several of which have flammable cladding.
The firm is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Association of Residential Managing Agents.
Scanlans has campaigned against the restrictions of the Building Safety Fund in partnership with campaigners, residents and property owners.
Commenting on today’s pledge by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick to allocate further government funding to tackle unsafe cladding, Scanlans partner Ian Magenis said:
“It is of some comfort that the government has now recognised that the £1.5bn previously allocated to the Building Safety Fund was insufficient, and that it has now increased the size of the pot of money available so that leaseholders of properties in buildings over 18 metres in height will not have to pay for remedial work.
“However, we are nearly four years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and we need to hear timescales and absolute clarity as to when this money is going to be available.
“It is disappointing that today’s announcement appears to only focus on external cladding and does not address timber balconies and walkways, internal compartmentation or internal fire doors, which are matters of equal concern and appear to be being ignored.
“We are also extremely concerned that nothing appears to have been done to address the immediate problem of escalating buildings insurance premiums, which are a reality today and need to be funded today.
“Some blocks around the UK have seen premiums rise from £40,000 a year to £500,000, while others cannot get insurance cover at all.
“Unless government assistance is provided now to support leaseholders, these huge insurance costs will remain in place year-on-year until the cladding is removed.
“This really needs addressing by the government. If nothing is done, it could bankrupt a lot of leaseholders.
“Leaseholders have suffered considerable anxiety, distress and financial hardship over the building safety issue and, while today’s announcement will bring relief to some, for many others it will not resolve a situation that is not of their making, having bought properties in good faith and with appropriate certification. We fully sympathise with them.”