Residents told to replace cladding at tower block

Cladding similar to that used on Grenfell Tower will only be removed from a housing complex in Croydon if residents or the Government find the £500,000 needed, a tribunal heard.

Citiscape, a tower of 95 flats, is encased in the material and the management company, Firstport Property Services, has gone to the tribunal to demand that residents or taxpayers settle the bill. The total work will cost £2 million but £500,000 is required to strip the cladding.

The management firm is also seeking to recoup the weekly £4,000 cost of hiring fire wardens to monitor the blocks full time.

The tribunal continues.