£1M Lost on Unsafe Flats as We Urge Action on the UK’s Outdated Buildings
Dozens of residents have been forced from their homes despite over £1 million spent on fire safety works, with flat owners describing “years of hell” and the experience “ruining” their lives.
We are calling for urgent, system-wide reform to protect leaseholders living in outdated, high-risk buildings across the country.
In a recent Merseyside case, leaseholders spent hundreds of thousands on fire doors and fire risk remediation, only to be handed a prohibition notice by the fire service. A further 10-month delay in installing a funded fire alarm system forced Knowsley Council to cover £380,000 in round-the-clock fire patrols, public money spent plugging gaps left by unclear responsibilities and ineffective management.
While new developments are designed to meet current stringent requirements, many older buildings may unknowingly harbour significant risks due to evolving standards and materials.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 has brought renewed focus on both internal and external fire risks, placing a considerable onus on those responsible for managing properties. However, navigating these complexities demands more than a basic understanding; it requires specialised knowledge and meticulous attention. Many buildings constructed before recent legislative shifts may not inherently align with today’s fire safety best practices, making comprehensive assessments and strategic mitigation plans essential.
This challenge is being felt across the UK. In several cases, residents have been served notice to leave their homes, deemed dangerous by firefighters, even after substantial sums have been spent on remediation efforts. In one such instance, a £40,000 government grant for a fire alarm system was not acted on for 10 months, forcing the local council to spend £380,000 on temporary patrols to ensure safety.
Our Managing Director, Mike Fox, commented:
“Recognising when your building’s fire safety is outdated is the critical first step. The landscape of fire safety is constantly evolving, and what was considered compliant years ago may no longer offer adequate protection today. Too often, buildings are managed reactively, by the time we’re called in, major risks have been ignored, misjudged or poorly handled. The situation in Kirkby is a heartbreaking reminder of what happens when fire safety is treated as an afterthought.”
He continued:
“It’s not enough to spend money – what matters is that the right assessments are made, by qualified professionals, from the start. Otherwise, as we’ve seen here, you end up with people losing their homes, public funds wasted, and dangerous buildings still standing.”
As one of the few UK consultancies offering a fully comprehensive service, from internal and external fire risk assessments and façade surveying, to fire safety consultancy and EWS1 forms, we support clients from design through to completion for new projects, and critically, we help existing buildings meet current fire safety standards.