New rules set by the government will see landlords punished with unlimited fines or prison sentences if they fail to remove unsafe cladding before the deadline.
Landlords will be required to carry out the remediation work by the end of 2029 for buildings 18 metres or taller, and by the end of 2031 for buildings between 11 and 18 metres tall.
Any landlords who miss the deadline with good reason could be prosecuted and face serious punishment.
Under the new rules, local councils and Homes England will be given the power to take control and carry out remediation works if landlords fail to act.
The stricter rules form part of the second phase of the Remediation Acceleration Plan, which also includes a £1billion investment to speed up cladding removal in the social housing sector.
Deputy prime minister and housing secretary, Angela Rayner, said: “Today we have given social landlords access to over £1billion to remediate unsafe cladding and make residents safe. The social sector is ready to rise to the challenge and make sure that residents are safe in their homes.”
“We are also today sending a clear message to those responsible for a building still wrapped in unsafe cladding: act now or face the consequences. Our Remediation Bill will include a new duty on you to make your building safe by a specified date, and new powers to impose serious penalties on those who fail to comply with the duty, and ultimately to bypass them if necessary to make the building safe.”
Building safety and fire minister, Alex Norris, said: “We are determined to make buildings safe and protect residents. Since publishing our Remediation Acceleration Plan, we’ve made strong progress, and this update goes further to drive accountability and remove barriers to speed up remediation.”
“There is now a clear pathway to remediate every building with unsafe cladding. We expect everyone to play their part in giving residents and leaseholders the peace of mind that they deserve.”
The government is also rolling out its new National Remediation System, which will monitor progress and be used to hold landlords to account. Metro mayors and local authorities will also receive over £5million to support local remediation plans.
Since the introduction of the Remediation Acceleration Plan in December last year, the scheme has resulted in 24,000 more residents living in safe buildings.
