Latest news with #GrenfellTower
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Housing ombudsman for England warns of ‘simmering anger' over living conditions
The housing ombudsman has warned 'simmering anger at poor housing conditions' could boil over into social tension as his office recorded a 474% increase in complaints about substandard living conditions since 2019/20. Richard Blakeway, the housing ombudsman for England, said repairs were now the single biggest driver of complaints his office deals with, accounting for 45% of its workload. 'Without change we effectively risk the managed decline of one of the largest provisions of social housing in Europe,' he said. 'To replace these homes would take more than 60 years at recent building rates.' He said it was 'neither fanciful nor alarmist' to suggest the growing anger at housing conditions could become 'social disquiet', saying the 'shock of Grenfell Tower and Awaab Ishak's death resonate still'. 'I travel across the country to different public meetings and there is a sense of people feeling invisible, of voices not being heard, their issues not being taken seriously, a lack of respect and dignity in the way in which residents have been treated. It is leading to a really serious fracturing of trust, which in some cases is irreparable,' he said. In a new report on social housing repairs and maintenance, the Housing Ombudsman Service reported a 474% increase in complaints about substandard living conditions between 2019/20 and 2024/25, with 72% identified as stemming from poor practice. Despite social landlords spending a record £9bn on repairs and maintenance in 2023/24, the ombudsman – which resolves disputes between residents and social landlords – ordered £3.4m in compensation for poor living conditions in 2024/25. 'We've seen an unprecedented increase in complaints, which far exceeds the rising complaints in other sectors. What we're seeing is exponential in comparison to other ombudsmen,' Blakeway said. The report is based on a review of hundreds of cases and more than 3,000 responses to a call for evidence. It features dozens of examples of bad practice, including a child's bedroom window being boarded up for four years rather than replaced and collapsed ceilings containing asbestos left unrepaired for two years. Ageing, poor-quality housing stock and the rising cost and complexity of repairs were two of the key drivers behind the rise in complaints. Almost half (45%) of social homes in England were built before 1964, and the percentage with damp and mould has risen from 4% in 2019 to 7% in 2023. Blakeway said policies had not kept pace with living standards, and called rules that say kitchens and bathrooms need only be replaced every 20 and 30 years respectively 'a statement absent of aspiration from the world's sixth wealthiest nation'. He added: 'The baseline set for the quality of social housing is completely detached from the reality of consumer experience elsewhere. It's completely inadequate in the 21st century.' The report found that landlords were 'effectively rationing repairs services', with one landlord's policy referring to doing some repairs only when 'resources are available' and others saying they would deal with emergencies only. It also found incidents of cases being closed before hazards were resolved because of 'unevidenced claims that the resident had denied access'. Blakeway called for a 'transformative overhaul' of the sector, including a national tenant body to strengthen the rights of residents and increase landlord accountability, as well as long-term funding for the sector. 'These homes are only getting older, so we need a fundamental rethink on how we do maintenance and the investment required to preserve the social housing legacy which previous generations have worked hard to build,' he said. He called the model for maintaining existing social homes 'unsustainable' and 'a significant risk to the government's vital housebuilding ambitions'. The government has announced plans to build 1.5m homes to tackle the country's housing crisis, but there are reports of internal disputes over the level of funding for social housing. Awaab's law, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who was killed by mould in a social housing flat in Rochdale in 2020, is due to come into force from October, but the government has been criticised for delaying its full implementation to 2027. From October, social landlords in England will have 24 hours to make emergency repairs, including to damp and mould, but will have until 2027 to begin fixing other hazards immediately, including asbestos and contaminated water supplies. Blakeway called the law 'desperately needed' but still too reactive. 'It improves the response, but it doesn't prevent the issues,' he said. 'Where is our aspiration? Landlord systems just haven't modernised to move from a reactive approach to maintenance to a predictive approach, and that often creates long delays to repairs,' he added. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: 'Everyone deserves to live in a safe, secure home and despite the dire situation we have inherited, we are taking decisive action to make this a reality. 'We will clamp down on damp, mould and other hazards in social homes by bringing in Awaab's law for the social rented sector from October, while we will also introduce a competence and conduct standard for the social rented sector to ensure staff have the right skills, knowledge and experience to do their jobs effectively.'
BBC News
7 days ago
- BBC News
Ex-firefighter cycling round the world for Grenfell youth
A retired London firefighter is set to embark on a round-the-world solo bike ride to raise money for projects helping young people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. Stephen Aslin, 58, will start the 30,000-mile cycling challenge from North Kensington in west London on the eighth anniversary of the fire, which claimed the lives of 72 plans to be on the road for a year and half and will drop in on fire stations along the way. He aims to be in New York for the 25th anniversary of 9/11 in September next year."I leave London on the 14th June and head to France. Then I cycle across Europe to Turkey, Kazakhstan and India. I travel through the Far East, on to Australia and then America. I aim to cycle 100km each day for five days of the week, with a two-day rest," Stephen said. Stephen, who was brought up in North Kensington, told BBC London he was "lucky enough to serve as station officer at the local fire station for the last four years of my career."He says his former colleagues and friends in west London have been deeply affected by the tragedy."A schoolfriend of ours died in the fire," he said. "This challenge is a remembrance for Ernie [Vital] and his mum [Marjorie Vital] and the other 70 people that died in the fire." Stephen will be raising money for youth projects funded by the Grenfell Foundation, which helps the bereaved, survivors and the local community in west London."I want to be able to help the next generation," he said. "But it's not just about raising money but also raising awareness as I go around the world about the lack of justice that's happened as we progress over time to the ninth, 10th anniversary of the fire."I'm leaving on the eighth anniversary and when I get back there still won't be prosecutions."
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Netflix viewers gasp 'I can't bear to watch' after 'heartbreaking and tragic' first trailer for long-awaited Grenfell documentary
Eight years after the disaster, the public has taken to social media to reiterate their dismay following the release of the first trailer for a powerful new Netflix documentary about the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy. In the first ever glimpse of the documentary, Grenfell: Uncovered, Netflix sets out its mission to shine a light on the disconcerting sequence of events that led to the tragic incident at Grenfell Tower, Kensington. The feature-length documentary will address the 'gross negligence' and 'huge corporate scandal' that led to the tragedy. The documentary's director, Olaide Sadiq, was an acclaimed producer on last year's Netflix documentary The Final: The attack on Wembley, as well as Ambulance (2016) and 999: What's your Emergency? (2012) Grenfell: Uncovered is set to premiere on June 20th and the trailer has already been hailed as impactful and emotive, featuring testimony from survivors, fire fighters and victims' families. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Snapshots of new interviews and expert opinions on the Grenfell Blaze has brought the tragedy back into conversation online, sparking outrage and upset at the miscarriage of justice shrouding the incident. 'They were telling us to stay inside'- a woman's voice is heard in the trailer over footage of the building engulfed in flames, 'but the fire was getting closer- we just dashed it for the stairwell.' Theresa May, the Prime Minister at the time of the incident, is heard in the trailer, saying 'Sadly, companies were able to find their way around the regulations.' Netflix viewers shared the following responses on social media, stricken by the raw content shared in the trailer: 'Prison for the politicians, prison for the companies that installed the cladding when the knew the risks. Disgusting that it has taken this long. Disgusting!' 'Grenfell documentary coming on Netflix just reminding us that the government failed those people. So many families lost to such an avoidable tragedy' 'Its insane because we saw this all unfold live over Twitter. Watching people say their goodbyes and begging for help. It breaks my heart every time seeing it all' 'Planning on watching it, even though I know it will upset me' 'I remember sitting at home watching the news all night, it was shocking. It was like I was watching a movie, it was hard to believe it was actually happening, the sadness and grief I felt was massive and I didn't even know anyone.' In February this year, the government suggested that the demolition of Grenfell could begin this September. The Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission has been working towards the creation of a permanent memorial in that space that will honour and preserve the memory of those who lost their lives in the fire. Grenfell: Uncovered will premiere exclusively on Netflix on June 20th.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hackney Council shifts target on fire door replacement scheme
A London borough has shifted its target to replace thousands of front doors with fire-resistant models after changes to building safety 2018, Hackney Council said it would install 17,000 new doors across its housing portfolio that could withstand fire for 30 after new laws introduced in 2022 said only high-rise blocks standing at seven storeys or higher needed to have their doors replaced, the council changed its programme to replace fire doors for thousands of Hackney households came in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. 'Supply challenges' The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked the council for an update on the project's progress after the local authority awarded a £1.2m contract for a similar programme to replace fire doors in 10 Hackney schools.A council spokesperson said that, so far, 3,398 new doors had been installed across the borough, at a cost of £ said the new regulations only covered 5,973 doors in the 137 council blocks which had been registered with the Building Safety Regulator and were affected by updated fire safety regulatory changes had "caused supply challenges across the whole sector", the spokesperson Council had originally estimated it would cost roughly £1,500 to replace a single fire door, but added that had risen to £4,000 due to "changes in the construction industry and material price inflation"."The cost of the scheme has also increased due to the fee charged by the regulator for each block," the spokesperson council now anticipates it will take "around three years" to change the remaining doors. In 2023, the LDRS reported that the council expected the installation of roughly 6,000 doors in its "highest-risk" blocks would take a that time, the council told residents that fire safety tests put the doors through extreme temperatures "unlikely to unfold in real life".In March 2023, the Metropolitan Police revealed that the fire doors installed as front doors of the flats inside Grenfell Tower, manufactured by Manse Masterdor, had failed under test conditions in 15 minutes, when they were supposed to act as a barrier for 30 people died in the fire in Grenfell Tower in west London in June 2017.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Grenfell: Uncovered OTT Release Date - When and where to watch documentary revisiting 2017 horror
Grenfell: Uncovered OTT Release Date - Netflix is set to release this powerful new documentary on June 20, 2025. This feature-length film explores the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire that occurred in London in 2017, aiming to shed light on the circumstances that led to one of the UK's most devastating residential fires. What is Grenfell: Uncovered all about? Produced by Rogan Productions, the documentary offers a comprehensive look at the disaster, featuring interviews with survivors, bereaved families, firefighters, and experts. It examines the decisions and systemic failures that contributed to the fire, highlighting issues such as the use of combustible cladding and inadequate safety measures. Grenfell: Uncovered also includes perspectives from public figures like former Prime Minister Theresa May, who faced criticism for her response to the tragedy. The Grenfell Tower fire occurred on June 14, 2017, in North Kensington, West London. An electrical fault in a refrigerator on the fourth floor ignited the blaze, which rapidly spread due to the building's flammable exterior cladding. The fire resulted in 72 deaths and over 70 injuries, marking it as the deadliest structural fire in the UK since World War II. The incident prompted widespread scrutiny of building regulations and fire safety standards across the country. Grenfell: Uncovered aims to provide a platform for survivors, bereaved families and firefighters to share their stories and seek justice. What more real-life tale can you watch on Netflix? While you wait for Grenfell: Uncovered, Netflix offers a wide variety of documentaries, including true crime, nature, sports, culture, and more. Some popular documentary series include Tiger King, Making a Murderer, The Last Dance, and American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden. They also have documentaries on nature, such as My Octopus Teacher and Our Planet.
