Good news as Barratt Developments agree to pay fire safety costs for Croydon tower block residents

Leaseholders of apartments in the Citiscape development breathe a sigh of relief as the original developer steps in to shoulder responsibility for the costs of replacement cladding and a fire warden.

After Citiscape in Croydon failed safety tests due to the Grenfell-style cladding, residents were dismayed to learn that they would have to find the money to pay the cost of replacing it under the service charge provisions of their leases.

The initial ruling of the First Tier Tribunal Property Chamber in February, indicated that leaseholders might be able to claim these costs back from a number of parties, including ‘manufacturer, developer, local authority, and potentially DCLG’. However, this was not an issue that the Tribunal had power to decide.

The residents moved into a building expecting it to be a safe place to live, and they should not have to chase this many organisations through the courts to recover the costs of making Citiscape safe.

Thankfully, common sense has prevailed and Barratt Developments, who were the original builders, have decided to do the right thing and cover the costs of replacing the cladding on the building and providing a fire warden. Let’s hope other developers make the right decision too.

Click here to read the press release from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

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