Residents Face “Heartbreaking” £700 Monthly Charge for Fire Wardens Amid Cladding Safety Concerns

Residents of a building affected by unsafe cladding have expressed that the monthly charge of nearly £700 per person for a “waking watch” service, implemented as a fire prevention measure, is “heartbreaking.” Following a recent survey of Clayewater Court in Bristol, a property previously identified as a fire risk, the freeholder has engaged a 24-hour fire warden service to patrol the building’s corridors. Lucy Tissington, a resident, stated: “That’s just money I can’t afford, especially when they demand it immediately.” HomeGround, representing the freeholder, Adriatic Land 5 Limited, reported that it has secured government funding to substitute the current “waking watch” with a fire alarm system. However, Ms Tissington remarked: “It’s not until we get that installed and in place that this extortionately expensive service stops.” She further clarified that each leaseholder has incurred charges totaling approximately £2,000 since October. She added: “It’s been really, really stressful trying to figure out where this money’s going to come from, if it’s ever going to stop.” A spokesperson for HomeGround, in conjunction with the building’s management company BNS, affirmed that they had “acted quickly to progress a Waking Watch Relief Fund application.” The spokesperson continued: “In the meantime, we have made efforts to support residents, including a loan from the landlord to cover the waking watch costs, and to expediate the fire alarm installation whilst the funding application process is ongoing.” Earlier in the current month, the government disclosed updated deadlines for the remediation of cladding on unsafe high-rise structures eligible for government-funded programs. This remediation strategy, however, excludes buildings under 11 meters in height, a category that includes Clayewater Court. Ms Tissington characterized this exclusion as “incredibly unfair.” She further questioned: “Why are the people who can actually do something about it just turning their back on us?” A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stated: “While remediation work is rarely required in buildings under 11m, we are determined to make homes safe and deliver security for residents across the country. We would urge leaseholders in these situations to write to us so we can investigate.” Ms Tissington described the commencement of the “waking watch” costs as “heartbreaking.” She elaborated: “It’s the fear that I had. I knew that I wasn’t safe from fire and I wasn’t safe from any costs.” She continued: “It’s spiralling out of control and you just don’t know how you can move on when it’s taken your savings, it’s taking your money every week. It’s never-ending.” Ms Tissington, who had previously discussed with the BBC the “huge emotional impact” of her inability to sell her property, mentioned that residents were informed of the “waking watch” service only an hour before its personnel arrived. She noted that while the fire wardens themselves are “nice people,” some residents have reported feeling uncomfortable seeing them positioned outside their windows during attempts to sleep. HomeGround stated that the “waking watch” was implemented “to ensure the safety of residents following a fire risk assessment.” Alan Morris, a neighbor of Ms Tissington, indicated that the building has experienced a “mass exodus,” with the majority of leaseholders now renting out their properties. He commented: “I think people are just fed up with the place.” Mr. Morris clarified that Clayewater Court’s actual height exceeds 11 meters, but the official measurement is calculated from the floor of the highest habitable room. He added: “The cladding does go up to over 13m at the top of the actual building, which doesn’t make sense to me.” “The cladding there is going to burn [in case of a fire],” he warned. He further stated: “I just don’t understand how this can happen from a brand new build. Somebody has to be culpable. It seems like we’re banging our heads against a brick wall.” The HomeGround spokesperson concluded: “We will continue our efforts to ensure that the cost of the waking watch is removed as soon as possible.” For further updates, follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.