Residents of a Salford block of flats stripped of its dangerous cladding fear they will have to endure freezing temperatures and higher heating costs this winter.
Plane Court, managed by the company Pendleton Together, a PFI contractor with Salford council, had its cladding removed between August and the end of October this year after post-Grenfell tests found it to be flammable.
Since then residents have complained about cold temperatures in their homes and higher heating bills, because of the loss of the insulation that the cladding provides. The management company said the building’s “external works” were forecast to be finished by June 2021.
“A lot of older people are having to put the heating up that bit more and they are dreading their bills,” said a resident, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals from the management company.
Tenants have said they want to be reimbursed for the extra heating costs, but also warned that many wouldn’t be able to afford the short term costs of paying higher bills. “You’ve got elderly people and people on low incomes and with card meters,” said one. Another resident told the Salford Star: “We’re sat with heaters on, blankets and onesies and it’s still cold.”
The replacement of the cladding on nine Salford blocks managed by Pendleton Together was delayed when the company was barred from accessing the £400m fund set up by the government after the Grenfell tower fire.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the money was only available to local authorities and housing associations, prompting Salford council to accuse them of “washing their hands of the situation”.
Eight other blocks owned by Salford city council and managed by Pendleton Together are still covered in flammable cladding, with interim fire safety measures – such as 24-hour fire marshals – in place to keep people safe.
Pendleton Together said it would begin visiting Plane Court residents this week to discuss their heating issues and explain the proposed compensation arrangements. “While visiting residents we will discuss the opportunity to work with them to monitor their energy usage in order to ensure they receive appropriate compensation,” said a spokesperson.
“We can assure any resident that no ‘reprisals’ take place regarding comments in the media. Our residents are free to speak to the media in their own home at any time. We would encourage any tenants experiencing issues to contact us at our Brotherton House office so that we can assist and support them in any way.”
A spokesperson for MHCLG said: “Nothing is more important than making sure people are safe in their homes. We are clear that the process of remediating buildings must happen quickly and without delay.
“We expect building owners to make sure buildings meet appropriate efficiency standards during renovation.”