Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Josie Le Vay

'It's not fair': People living in 'freezing' Salford flats will have to wait another two years for cladding to be replaced

People living in freezing flats in Salford will have to wait another two years for cladding to be replaced.

Residents of nine flats in Pendleton, who have complained 'freezing' conditions and increased heating costs, had their cladding removed in September 2020.

They were expecting the work to be finished this year.

READ MORE: 'It's grossly unfair': Those being hit by the Clean Air Zone - who don't even live in Greater Manchester

But Pendleton Together, the Private Finance Initiative contractor which manages the council properties, told the Manchester Evening News it is due to be finished in 2024 in a statement on Friday, January 14.

That's seven years since the tragic Grenfell Tower fire.

Eithne Crowson, 69, a resident of Holm Court, said she hadn't been made aware of the delay.

Scaffolding is up outside EIthne's kitchen window ready for the works to take place (ABNM Photography)

"I'm sitting here now and I'm freezing. It's not fair, it's really not fair.

"I've just got to sit here and that's it," she said.

"I know people in this block who have had their heating off altogether. Some have bought oil radiators, but that's just in one room. And loads just put coats and blankets on them.

"It's not fair".

Matthew Condrad, the director of Tenant Claim, who represents hundreds of people living across the nine flats, said: "Residents were expecting repairs to be completed by 2022.

"The delay will expose tenants to the excess cold hazard and water ingress for a further two years."

Pendleton Together said in a statement: "In relation to the timeframe for replacement of cladding, within days of the tragedy at Grenfell, Pendleton Together and Salford City Council committed to removing all cladding and insulation on our nine blocks and replacing them with safe alternatives.

Plane Court in Pendleton, Salford (ABNM Photography)

"Unfortunately, due to well documented issues around clarity of regulation and ability to secure funding, that affects landlords nationwide, the work has taken longer than anticipated. All of the cladding has now been removed and necessary preparatory works are taking place prior to the reinstatement of cladding which is expected to start on some of our blocks in the next few months.

"The programme of fire safety works, which includes the replacement of cladding, the installation of sprinklers and heat detectors and other internal mitigation works is set to complete in 2024."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.