BrumLAG 5 weeks in …

Our last blog post at the beginning of the month was titled “1 week in …”. We had hoped to do a weekly post but things have been happening so fast 4 weeks have got behind us already! Back on the 4th Sophie and Brian recorded a podcast over a few glasses of wine and…

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Cladding insurance may force out residents of tower blocks

Cladding insurance may force out residents of tower blocks

Katie Illingworth and her husband, Jim, face having to spend their pension savings on cladding Residents at a Birmingham tower block with flammable cladding must each pay an insurance bill that has quadrupled to £191,000 by next week or move out. Across England, leaseholders in flats with combustible external […] Click here to view original…

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Leaseholders face £19,000 cladding bills next month amid coronavirus crisis

Leaseholders face £19,000 cladding bills next month amid coronavirus crisis

Leaseholders living in a block in Birmingham, who are already facing financial hardship due to coronavirus, must pay up to £19,000 in just two weeks or risk being forced out of their homes. Islington Gates residents have been given bills of up to £19,000 (picture: Google Street View) Sharelines […] Click here to view original…

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Freeholders attacked over cladding ‘get big windfall’

A recent survey found that insurance costs have increased markedly on many cladding sites The housing secretary has been accused of giving a huge windfall to the owners of residential development freeholds days after attacking them for their response to the flammable cladding crisis. Last week Robert Jenrick announced […] Click here to view original…

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Profession faces PI insurance ‘horror story’ over fire risk, architect warns

The architecture profession is facing a ‘horror story’ over professional indemnity insurance covering fire risk, a Leeds-based architect has warned Mark Hide of Mark Hide Associates has been insured via the RIBA Insurance Agency for the past 13 years but can no longer obtain professional indemnity insurance that covers […] Click here to view original…

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Owners of ‘fire trap’ flats by Mersey see bills soar 600% in cladding scandal

The Deck flats in Runcorn. (Image: stuartbogg/runcornweeklynews) Residents of “fire trap” flats on the banks of the Mersey fear their home will become a “derelict development” after flammable cladding sent their insurance bills soaring by 600%. Owners of the almost 300 flats at The Decks in Runcorn have seen […] Click here to view original…

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Shabana writes to Financial Conduct Authority on cladding scandal

This week Shabana has written to the Financial Conduct Authority on the cladding scandal, calling for an investigation into the conduct of insurers. A recent Westminster Hall debate brought to light further issues regarding the cladding on leasehold properties, namely issues around building insurance premiums and directors’ liability insurance. Shabana has also recently supported the…

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Cladding victims now being hit by insurance hikes, reports BBC R4 You and Yours

Birmingham’s Islington Gates is one of the cladding sites where leaseholders have been stung by a surge in insurance premiums this year By Harry Scoffin The cladding crisis has rippled through the insurance market, with leasehold tenants in dangerous apartment buildings “being hammered” by “inflated bills”, BBC Radio 4’s […] Click here to view original…

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