If you own an apartment built in the boom years and have heard the words "fire safety defects" at an AGM, this is the scheme that pays for the urgent part. The thing every owner needs to know is that you cannot apply yourself — so the job is to make sure your management company does.
Quick facts
- Covers
- Emergency fire safety works — fully funded
- Built
- Between 1991 and 2013
- Cause
- Defects that breached the Building Regulations of the time
- Who applies
- Your Owners' Management Company only
- Individual owners
- Cannot receive funding directly
- Run by
- The Housing Agency
What it pays for
"The Interim Remediation Scheme is for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013."
"The Scheme is administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis, and provides for the full funding of interim measures (emergency fire safety defect works) in order to provide an acceptable level of fire safety in buildings, pending completion of full remedial works."
Note the word interim. This covers the emergency measures that make a building acceptably safe now. Full remediation — including water ingress and structural defects — is a separate, larger process.
Which buildings qualify
"Apartments and duplexes built between 1991 and 2013 qualify for the Interim Remediation Scheme, where the fire safety defects were caused by defective design, workmanship or materials that breached the Building Regulations that applied when the property was built."
And three causes it will not fund: "the building not being adequately maintained", "sinking funds not being adequately funded to replace building and safety systems when they expired", and "later building work not being managed correctly, leading to defects".
That line between an original construction defect and a maintenance failure is where applications are won or lost, so the survey evidence matters.
Only the management company can apply
"Owners’ Management Companies (OMCs) will receive funding to carry out the necessary remedial works. Thus, only applications from authorised representatives of OMCs will be considered. Funding will not, under any circumstances, be directly allocated to any individual homeowner through this Interim Remediation Scheme."
"A whole building approach will be taken to remediate relevant defects and to improve the safety of all occupants in the building." Common areas and individual units are treated together.
"You can apply via the Housing Agency’s website." If you are an owner, the useful action is raising it with your OMC board and asking whether an application has been made.
Common questions
Which apartments qualify for the Interim Remediation Scheme?
Apartments and duplexes built between 1991 and 2013, where the fire safety defects were caused by defective design, workmanship or materials that breached the Building Regulations that applied when the property was built.
Can I apply as an individual owner?
No. Only applications from authorised representatives of Owners' Management Companies will be considered, and funding will not under any circumstances be allocated directly to an individual homeowner.
How much does it pay?
It provides full funding of interim measures — the emergency fire safety defect works needed to reach an acceptable level of fire safety — pending completion of full remedial works.
What is not covered?
Defects arising from the building not being adequately maintained, sinking funds not being adequately funded to replace building and safety systems, and later building work not being managed correctly.
Who runs it?
The Housing Agency, on a nationwide basis. Applications are made through the Housing Agency's website.