Pilot scheme for tenants and landlords to improve building safety announced

A pilot scheme which will see eight landlords and their social residents team up to trial methods of communicating matters relating to building safety was announced by the government yesterday.

As part of a new Government appointed group, this scheme will allow social residents and their respective landlords to:

• debate new ways to engage housing residents on both fire and building safety issues,
• share best practice and challenge existing approaches towards resident safety, and
• ensure residents are given a stronger voice.

It is the result of a fundamental commitment made in Social Housing Green Paper, (published in August last year), and the Hackitt Implementation Plan that was drawn up in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire in London.

The group members will decide and implement short-term pilots during the six-month trial, covering a wide range of approaches to keeping residents informed of all safety measures in their respective building. After the six-month trial, a pilot panel will present its findings to the Government to advise and help develop any future policy.

The scheme will be independently chaired by LEASE board member Victoria Elvidge, alongside two fire and building safety experts - fire safety technical officer for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Tim Birchall, and Chief Executive of the Local Authority Building Control, Paul Everall.

Housing Minister, Kit Malthouse, explained:

“Everyone deserves a safe and decent place to call home. As our Social Housing Green Paper and Implementation Plan set out, we are keen to pilot new and engaging options to ensure social housing residents are better informed on issues that matter most to them - none more so than their safety.

“This new group will see social landlords and their residents come together to explore new ways to trial this that will help inform wider reforms as we look to rebalance the relationship between landlord and residents.”

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