The Remediation of Unsafe Cladding Bill has been introduced to Parliament.

The bill sets out what works are required who needs to complete them and what the consequences are of not taking action.

It is expected to accelerate remediation for around 12,000 residents.

Nine years after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, there are still buildings with unsafe cladding.

The Bill will bring forward a new legal duty on those responsible for the safety of their buildings, such as freeholders, to identify, assess, and fix issues without delay – anyone who obstructs this work could face criminal penalties.  

There will also be a stronger enforcement framework to sanction those who fail to comply with a Remediation Order, enabling the First-tier Tribunal to hand down financial penalties of up to £500,000.

The expectation remains that by the end of 2029, every building over 11 metres with unsafe cladding should either have been remediated or have a clear date for completion.

Third parties, such as Homes England or local authorities, will be able to step in and carry out remediation if those responsible continuously fail to act. Furthermore if a building ends up with no effective owner or responsible entity, leaseholders will have clearer legal routes to take control of the building’s management so essential maintenance and safety works can continue.  

Developers, contractors and others who have paid to make buildings safe will have a simpler and more effective route to pursue cladding manufacturers to recover remediation costs, where their products have contributed to a building being unsafe.

A new register of all medium rise residential buildings in England will help to keep track. Failure to register could result in civil penalties of up to £7,000 with higher financial penalties of up to £40,000 or prosecution available.

Fire risk appraisals of external walls (FRAEWs) will be required to follow a consistent approach to assessment, where buildings are judged on the same basis, and risks identified through independently audited, evidence-based assessments.

Amy Rees CB, CEO for Homes England said: "Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home. These measures are an important step in accelerating remediation, strengthening accountability and giving residents greater confidence that unsafe buildings will be fixed.

"Homes England will continue working with government, regulators and industry partners to help ensure no building falls through the cracks and that remediation progresses as quickly as possible."

Charlie Pugsley, Acting CEO for Building Safety Regulator said: "BSR is fully engaged with stakeholders to support building owners in fixing known buildings faster.  We will continue to support the government as a collaborative and proportionate regulator on the critical issue of remediation on higher-risk buildings across England."