Sector leaders call for end to cladding scandal ahead of parliamentary debate

Ms Ali, whose constituency is in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets, where 70 affected towers are located, said: “It is outrageous that two years after the Grenfell disaster there are still 40,000 leaseholders across the UK who are stuck living in unsafe blocks with dangerous cladding.

“The government must move fast to replace flammable cladding on every building, no matter who owns it, and must do it now.”

Terrie Alafat, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, added: “It is shocking that out of the 176 private blocks with dangerous cladding that have been identified since Grenfell, only 10 have had the necessary safety work completed.

“While the government has pledged to fund the replacement of dangerous cladding in the social housing sector, there is no such promise for residents in private flats, which is why we are supporting Inside Housing’s new campaign to change this now.”

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation said: "It should go without saying that everyone must be safe in their own home.

"But dangerous cladding has been used on tower blocks of all tenures across the country because government fire safety regulations were not fit for purpose. The government must now take financial responsibility for ensuring that each and every home affected, no matter who owns it, is made safe and fast.”

Jane Duncan, chair of the Expert Advisory Group on Fire Safety at the Royal Institute of British Architects, said: “It is appalling that nearly two years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy there are still buildings with cladding systems that have been identified as a risk to public safety. This must be rectified with immediate effect and individuals should not face financial hardship because of a past failure in regulation.”

Suzanne Richards, executive member for housing and regeneration at Manchester City Council, said: “I have heard first-hand the stories from residents about how living in a block that is not deemed fire safe can impact on their emotional health and well-being.

“On top of this they have the additional worry of the threat of bills, of up to £80,000 in some cases, landing on their doormat.

“This is unacceptable and government must now step in and fund post-Grenfell remediation works. Manchester City Council will work with and support our residents to ensure they are not liable for the costs of making their homes safe.”

Paula Higgins, chief executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, said: “End Our Cladding Scandal is a crucial campaign. Thousands of people are effectively imprisoned in their own homes, in buildings that are unsafe. They cannot move because they cannot sell as well as being out of pocket to pay for fire wardens. They are being held to ransom. Who wants to live in a home that is unsafe?

“Cladding has not been removed because freeholders and warranty providers do not want to take responsibility. These homeowners are stuck in a void with no end in sight.

“Government needs to bang heads together and find a solution quickly because these people have been sold a duff product. If no one will take responsibility then government must step in and take action to protect people urgently.”

Nour-eddine Aboudihaj, a spokesperson for campaign group Justice4Grenfell, said: “The way that residents and tenants have been mistreated for years only came to view after Grenfell.

“[It is] an example par excellence of incompetence and inability to solve these cladding issues almost two years since the tragic event that killed 72 people.”

Andy Dark, assistant general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “It’s a scandal that residents who are living in tower blocks covered in flammable cladding and where basic fire safety is substandard have no certainty whatsoever that their homes will be made safe.

“Whether publicly or privately owned, the remedial work needs to be completed quickly and the government must take responsibility for getting the job done.”

Martin Boyd, chair of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, said: “It has taken far too long for government to take action to remove dangerous cladding from thousands of people’s homes.

“This has always been either the fault of regulations or the failing of the developer but nobody seems willing or able to challenge either group.”

Jim Fitzpatrick, Labour MP for Poplar and Limehouse and co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Leasehold and Commonhold Reform, said: “No one should be left in the position of having worked and saved for years to become a property owner, to then learn – through no fault of their own – their home is no longer safe.

“This campaign rightly highlights the consequences of inaction and I urge the government to take responsibility as a matter of urgency.”

John Biggs, mayor of Tower Hamlets said: “I fully support the campaign from Inside Housing calling on the government to fully fund all works needed to remove dangerous cladding from all housing blocks.

“Ministers have rightly said their top priority must be to ensure that people are safe in their own homes, and it is entirely unfair to expect residents to find tens of thousands of pounds to fund this without any help whatsoever.”

This story will be updated.