Putney Art Deco Block Residents Make Plea Over Cladding Costs
Being made to pay for making safe roof extension they opposed
Millbrooke Court with the extra flats built on the roof space
Residents of an art deco mansion block in Putney say they are being made to pay for recladding despite it being of an extension to the building they opposed.
The Millbrooke Court Residents’ Association has written to Michael Gove, whose ministerial responsibilities include housing, claiming that the landlord of the building is exploiting legal loopholes to shift the cost of removing dangerous cladding onto them.
The letter was written as the government considers aa new leasehold reform Bill and additional legislation relating to combustible cladding as the consequences of the Grenfell Tower fire continue to play out.
Millbrooke Court is a 1930s Art deco mansion block originally consisting of 66 residential flats with commercial premises on the ground floor.
In 2013 the landlord built 7 additional flats on the roof of the building despite objections from the existing leaseholders. All but one of the new apartments have been sold at prices above £3. million which the residents’ association believes will have yielded substantial profits for the developer and the landlord.
The letter signed by Brendan E. Molloy on behalf of the association says to Michael Gove, “We are also aware that you have expressed the view Leaseholders should not be saddled with the costs of rectifying problems (e.g. the removal of combustible cladding) created by developers. Obviously it is the
Developers who benefit from new developments so it is equally obvious those same developers should pay to fix issues associated with said development. Sadly this is not the case for leaseholders in Millbrooke Court who have already been forced to pay well over £100,000 to repair leaks caused by a developer’s sloppy workmanship and are potentially faced with a bill of over £1 million to replace non fire retardant cladding.”
If the replacement of the cladding is deemed to be legitimately added to the service charge the landlord will also be able to obtain taxpayer funding to cover part of the cost.
The letter concludes, “We believe that loopholes in existing legislation have enabled the landlord to act in this way. We, therefore humbly request that the government use the opportunity of the forthcoming legislation to close these loopholes.”
The landlord’s managing agent was asked for comment.
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January 7, 2022