Deadline passes for sign up to Developer Remediation Contract

13 March 2023 marked the six-week deadline that Michael Gove and his Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities had given developers to sign up to his Remediation Contract.

Mr Gove has since announced that 39 developers, including ten of the biggest housebuilders in the UK (such as Berkeley and Land Securities), have all signed contracts which turns their pledges to fix unsafe buildings that they developed or refurbished over the past 30 years into legally binding agreements. 

Signatories are required to fix all life-critical fire-safety defects in all English buildings over 11 metres they had a role in developing or refurbishing. It also requires them to reimburse the taxpayer where government funds have already paid for remediation.

A list of those developers who have signed, and confirmation of 11 others who have not yet, can be found here.

The Government will publish further information next week on how developers will be prohibited from carrying out major development or from receiving building control approval unless they sign and adhere to the contract, using powers created by the Building Safety Act 2022.

It is understood that secondary legislation will shortly establish the ‘Responsible Actors Scheme’ and set out the criteria for eligibility and the conditions of membership. Eligible developers who do not sign the contract will not be able to join the Scheme and will be subject to the prohibitions.

“I have been clear all along-those that are responsible for this crisis must pay. So, I am grateful to those developers who have done the right thing today by signing this legally binding contract. We will be monitoring their progress on remediation very closely, to ensure this work is completed urgently and safely. For those developers that have taken responsibility, today offers the chance for a reset so we can get on and build more of the safe, decent and affordable homes we so desperately need. “To those developers that have failed to sign the contract without good reason, let me be very clear-we are coming after you. If you do not sign, you will not be able to operate freely in the housing market. Your investors will see that your business model is broken-only responsible developers are welcome here.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/developers-sign-goves-building-safety-contract?dm_i=6MQX%2cQVV7%2c1OXDWD%2c3CC54%2c1
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