Millions of people are living in flats built with dangerous cladding – they should not be expected to foot the bill

Editorial: The Conservative Party will deserve to pay a heavy political price if it fails to rescue those for whom the dream of home ownership has turned into a nightmare

Grenfell Tower, where a severe fire killed 72 people in June 2017 (Getty Images)

In addition to the terrible pain and suffering for those families affected directly, the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire has also left an awful legacy for millions of people living in flats built with dangerous cladding and other materials that must now be removed to meet fire safety standards.  

Leaseholders face bills of tens of thousands of pounds for remedial work, which many will be unable to afford, higher building insurance premiums and the huge cost of “waking watch” fire safety patrols. The anxiety of lockdown has been compounded by the knowledge that their homes are dangerous, and have become a worthless asset they cannot sell because they are unmortgageable.

Some estimates suggest 4.6 million properties are affected. The scandal is causing real problems in the housing market, with sales of flats running at half the 2019 level.