What is this group for?

A forum to share information and support each other.

The information shared on this website and on other mediums (WhatsApp, email, community meetings) is collated by everyday residents who are not professionals in the area of fire safety. It is always changing as we learn more. It should not be taken alone or in lieu of your own investigations and professional advice.

The Issue

Barnet Council issued a vague letter to 580 residents advising that the cladding on the houses needs to be replaced and the homeowners are responsible for costs of £14,000 – £23,000.

Affected homes by Cladding Type:

Affected homes by Ward:

Our Argument

These homes were designed and built by the council as part of the new Watling Estate "Homes for Heroes" campaigns for soldiers returning from WW1. The council subsequently sold these houses in the "Right to Buy Scheme" — residents bought these homes in good faith. The council then chose to make the Watling Estate a conservation area on 8th April 1988, denying residents the right to make adjustments to their homes and forcing them to use the same cladding in keeping with the area.

In a complete 180-degree turnaround, the council has now decided this historic cladding is an unsafe category 1 hazard and residents must pay to replace it.

Grenfell Tower has been the worst domestic fire we have witnessed in living memory, and the government placed responsibility for the failure on the manufacturers and developers. Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) himself stated that "faulty and ambiguous" government guidance allowed the Grenfell Tower tragedy to occur.

After Grenfell, grants were created to help homeowners of high-rise buildings above 18 metres. Since then, new legislation has been introduced to help mid-rise buildings between 11m–18m in height.

As terraced / semi-attached houses under 11m in height we have fallen into an unprotected gap in the current legislation. We are, however, no less important.

The council, as the developers of these properties and the protectors of the Watling Estate Conservation Area for almost 100 years, are solely responsible for these remedial works.

Community Meetings

13th April 2024 — 2nd Residents Response community meeting (Annunciation Church, Burnt Oak)

17th March 2024 — 1st Residents Response community meeting (Scout Hut, Edgware)