Ipswich leaseholders place bid for funding to fix safety issues at Churchmans House as plans submitted for remediation work

Residents at a block of flats in Ipswich face an uncertain future as they wait to see if the Government will foot the bill to fix a variety of fire safety issues.

The Churchman House Residents Management Company submitted plans to Ipswich Borough Council to fix cladding issues on the outside walls of Churchmans House, in Portman Road, last week.

The firm has also applied for funding to fix internal safety issues.

Measures were put in place in July last year after various fire risks were discovered.

A report conducted into structural elements at the block in December described the issues as ‘on the lower end of high-risk’ and recommended remediation work take place.

Issues highlighted in the report included visible surface corrosion to unprotected steelworks and fire safety concerns.

Chu Man, from Churchman House Residents Management Company, said he and other residents at the flats were hopeful the funding would come through.

“It’s now in the Government’s hands to say yay or nay,” he said.

“I’m more hopeful now we have had a change in Government and a change in approach to these issues, although we’ve not heard anything from the relevant department.”

Mr Man said leaseholders wanted to avoid a similar situation as Cardinal Lofts, on the waterfront, which was evacuated after it was deemed to be no longer safe for occupation.

Mr Man said an alarm system was fitted at the blocks after a wave of funding in 2020, which cost about £75,000.

However, residents had to pay for a waking watch to the tune of £80,000, he revealed.

He said leaseholders may look to try and ‘claw back’ these costs from the building’s owners down the line.

Jack Abbott, MP for Ipswich, said the new Labour Government has promised to accelerate the pace of remediation works for leasehold properties.

He wrote to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Building Safety, Rushanara Ali, to ask for the department to approve full funding for the remedial works.

This would ensure costs do not fall on the leaseholders, he said.

However, Mr Man said ‘many questions’ needed to be answered in terms of costs.

This included how much remediation work would cost, how much they were eligible for, what would be covered.

All leaseholders are split between the Building Safety Act’s three categories of ‘protected’, ‘capped’, and ‘non-qualifying’.

“We’re planning for the worst case scenario,” Mr Man said.

“Myself and others 100 per cent covered by leaseholder protections, but we’re reliant on those who are not to pay their contributions if we don’t get 100 per cent coverage for the costs and there are any shortfalls.

“These projects can move quickly when the money is in place, however, our developer is out of the picture.

“If the building was built properly, with all checks and balances in place, none of this would have happened.”

Jack Abbott said those responsible for the building safety crisis should be the ones paying to fix it.

He added: “I will work with Labour to deliver on their ambitious promises regarding building safety and reform of the leasehold system.”