Local MP Maria Miller has welcomed changes to the building industry to drive up build quality standards and fire safety following the tragedy at Grenfell towers.
Maria said in the debate in the House of Commons, “…this Bill requires a fundamental overhaul of our building industry’s attitude towards the quality of homes that are built.”
Speaking after the debate Maria said, “This Bill not only introduces a new Building safety Regulatory to crack down on fire safety following Grenfell, it also introduces the new Homes Ombudsman which was called for in 2015 by the All Party Group on the Built Environment Report which I chaired following problems Basingstoke residents experienced with house builders not rectifying defects in their new homes. All builders will be required to be members of the new Ombudsman scheme which will provide redress including financial compensation, giving the owners of new build homes better redress when things go wrong.
The new Bill also puts into law measures Maria called for in 2018 in her ‘Fire Safety Information Bill” following meetings with Basingstoke residents who were concerned about domestic fire alarm systems in high rise buildings and the lack of understanding amongst residents, particularly those on short term leases, of how they work. Residents were unaware that some high rise buildings have no central fire alarm with the alarm system being for individual flats only.
Maria also called on the Government to review the effectiveness of Personal Evacuation Plans, which are prepared for high rise buildings to identify the needs of residents who might be disabled or vulnerable, after residents raised with her the challenges faced by residential blocks such as Oakridge Towers where residents are all older and many have significant disabilities; as well as the concerns of parents evacuating small children without assistance.
Maria welcomed the Government’s £5billion Fire Safety Fund, which has already benefited residents in Basingstoke through the Waking Watch Relief Scheme which funds new fire alarm systems for high rise buildings. But asked for Ministers to do more to reassure residents that fire safety building work costs would be covered by the fund and not passed onto leaseholders.
Read the full debate here
