This paper examines how emotions and collective action shape policy responses to housing safety crises, focusing on post-Grenfell building safety in England and the defective concrete (‘mica’) crisis in Ireland. Drawing on interviews with 28 residents, it shows how affected households mobilise shared feelings—such as solidarity, empathy and outrage—to influence policy processes. The study highlights both the power and the emotional costs of this strategy, as re-engaging with crisis and uncertainty can also reproduce feelings of unsafety.