The council values the active involvement of tenants and leaseholders in shaping landlord services.
In response to key Grenfell Inquiry recommendations, Government introduced a package of measures to improve safety in certain regulated premises. The council has 11 tower blocks which are referred to in law as ‘higher risk buildings’ and which fall within scope of statutory management obligations as set out in the Building Safety Act 2022. In response, the council has developed a housing management offer for residents living in the council’s ‘higher risk’ buildings.
This offer should be read in conjunction with the council’s Housing Management Strategy for Occupied Higher Risk Buildings 2025 and will:
- Outline a more intensive approach to housing management with dedicated Neighbourhood Housing Officers as a key point of contact
- Introduce the role of Accountable Persons who are responsible for ensuring that fire and structural safety is being managed for every tower block along with key management actions associated with every resident in the building
- Outline the inspection regime associated with the shared areas of the building and every flat within the building
- Explain the need to gather, store and keep up to date, key information on all residents to ensure that vulnerable people are ‘fire safe’ and we can communicate effectively with all occupiers who are aged16 years or over.
- Set out clear guidance for ‘staying put’ and carrying out partial or total evacuation of the building following direction by the fire and rescue service.
- Set out or commitments on how residents can participate and ensure their voice is heard in matters relating to building safety decisions via a documented Engagement Strategy.
- Raise awareness of the rights and obligations of all households as part of ensuring that everyone is ‘fire safe’.
- Explain why we restrict new lettings to tenants and household members who can selfevacuate in the event of being ordered to do so by the emergency services.
- Document the range of financial and safety related information we will make available to tenants and leaseholders, including tenants exercising their Right to Buy and prospective leaseholders who are looking to purchase an existing leasehold property.
- Establish and document a clear list of building safety costs which the law says can be passed onto leaseholders alongside the statutory protections regarding such costs • Promote our ‘mandatory occurrence reporting system’ through which safety related concerns can be reported.
As a responsible social housing landlord, the council knows that it has a primary responsibility to ensure that all our tenants and leaseholders occupy safe and compliant accommodation. This Housing Management offer, in partnership with all residents living in our in-scope tower blocks, supports this primary responsibility and sets out how we will comply with our statutory management obligations as set out in the Building Safety Act 2022 and related Regulations.
Documents
Have your say
Complete this survey below and share your views on the draft offer. This consultation closes on Friday 16 January.
If you or anyone you know would like a paper copy of this form, email customerengagement@hillingdon.gov.uk or call 01895 277038.
If an interpreter is needed, please see our translation guide.