The post-Grenfell Tower building safety crisis or ‘cladding scandal’ has resulted in a range of safety related problems being identified in low-, mid- and high-rise buildings in the UK and internationally. This includes issues with: cladding, insulation, missing fire breaks, inadequate compartmentation, balcony construction, and fire doors. Last year, we carried out research into the impact that living with these problems had on leaseholders’ mental wellbeing.

This project will look to the next phase of the crisis for many leaseholders – the process of building remediation and the impact that this has on people’s daily lives. Many thousands of buildings are likely to require extensive building works to remedy the safety problems that have been identified. This project seeks to learn from initial experiences of building remediation, drawing out lessons for future practice.

The aims of the research are to:

• Understand the range of impacts that building remediation has on residents
• Draw from residents’ experiences to develop a code of practice that puts resident wellbeing at the heart of remediation

The research will involve a survey, in-depth interviews, photo elicitation, and engagement with key stakeholders. The research is funded by the Crook Prize at the University of Sheffield.

Timeline: May – November 2022

Key contact: Dr Jenny Preece