Building Safety Minister Baroness Blake of Leeds has introduced the Remediation of Unsafe Cladding Bill to Parliament.
The legislation would place a legal duty on those responsible for building safety, including freeholders, to identify, assess and fix defects without delay. Obstructing that work could lead to criminal penalties.
The First-tier Tribunal would gain power to impose fines of up to £500,000 on responsible entities that fail to comply with a remediation order. The Government says every building over 11 metres with unsafe cladding should be remediated, or have a clear completion date, by the end of 2029.
A new register would cover all medium-rise residential buildings in England. Failure to register could attract a civil penalty of up to £7,000, with penalties of up to £40,000 or prosecution available for more serious non-compliance.
Homes England, councils and other third parties would be able to step in where those responsible repeatedly fail to act. The bill would also provide a route for leaseholders to take control of building management where there is no effective owner or responsible entity.
Ministers estimate that the measures could accelerate remediation for around 12,000 residents, including about 3,000 whose buildings may need the proposed backstop. The Government says more than 470 additional buildings have completed remediation since its acceleration plan was published.
