The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has said it will use new powers under the Building Safety Act to penalise developers and freeholders responsible for unsafe buildings.
The comments come in the wake of reports that the housing department, led by Michael Gove, has applied to a property tribunal for an order to force companies in the Yianis Group to contribute to fixing safety issues at the Canary Riverside development in London.
If the order is granted, this will be the first time that the government has taken legal action under powers granted to it under the Building Safety Act which came info force a year ago.
The act was passed in response to the Grenfell Tower fire and was designed both to speed up building renovations to improve safety and to stop landlords from passing on the costs of vital safety improvements to their tenants.
“Homes must be made safe without delay and those responsible for unsafe buildings should pay to fix them,” a government spokesman said in a statement.
“Where developers and freeholders have profited from unsafe buildings, we will use powers in the landmark Building Safety Act to recover funds paid out by both taxpayers and leaseholders,” the statement said.
“We will continue to take action against those who do not take responsibility for building safety issues.”
Image © ADAM-VAUGHAN-EPA-EFE-Shutterstock
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