The urgent need for legislative reform amidst the cladding crisis
Partner Gurpreet Sanghera discusses her personal and professional experience of dangerous cladding amidst increasing calls for legislative reform in light of the publication of the final Grenfell report, in the Evening Standard.
The final report of the six-year public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster, published today, found that the fire was the result of a series of failures by successive governments, "dishonest" construction companies and a lack of strategy by the fire service.
Interviewed by the Evening Standard prior to the publication of the report, Partner Gurpreet Sanghera shared her unique perspective on the country's cladding crisis. She, her partner and young son live in a flat inside the Arc Tower in Ealing, which is surrounded by non-compliant cladding.
Drawing on her experience as a litigator, with particular expertise in property-related disputes, Gurpreet is representing her local action group in determining who should be responsible for the cost of removing the cladding on the Arc Tower — work that was carried out without prior consultation of the leaseholders, and that has taken considerably longer than first anticipated.
What's more, Simkins has been representing a number of Arc Tower's 93 leaseholders in class action proceedings, as the main contractor for the development has thus far refused to accept responsibility for the building not complying with safety regulations.
Gurpreet's interview was published in the Evening Standard, 4 September 2024.
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