Fixing cladding and safety defects: buildings at least 11 metres or 5 storeys (England)
Getting remediation updates for your building
Ask for information
Contact the person responsible for fire safety in your building to get the remediation information you’re entitled to.
The government has produced a plain English guide to the code of practice for keeping leaseholders informed about remediation work. Although the code of practice is guidance rather than a legal requirement, landlords are expected to follow it and should:
- give you information about the work being done and timescales
- update you about progress including any delays
- confirm how work is being paid for
- tell you if government funding to fix defective cladding has been applied for and awarded
- give you advance notice of noisy works and reduce noise where possible
However, there’s no set rule on how often they have to communicate with you. For example, it might just be yearly.
Documentation to check
The following documentation may help you identify the types of remediation work needed.
Fire risk assessments
All buildings in England and Wales containing flats must have a fire risk assessment of the shared areas. A fire risk assessment reviews the dangers of a fire breaking out in your building and will recommend ways to reduce risks and protect life.
Find out more about fire risk assessments and how to get a copy
Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls
For buildings with concerns about cladding and the external wall system, a more detailed technical assessment may have been done called a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW).
The landlord certificate
Your landlord should also list known defects on a document called a landlord certificate. They must give you a copy of this if they intend to pass on any costs to you. Every time they discover a new defect, they must update the certificate and send you a fresh copy.
Find out more about landlord certificates and when you should be sent one
Buildings 18 metres or higher
If your building received funding through the Building Safety Fund, you can access the BSF Leaseholder and Residents Service to get status updates and more information about the remediation work.
You need a unique building code to access this website – use our template letter to ask your landlord for the code.
- Last updated:
- 29 April 2026
- Next review:
- 29 April 2028
Related content
How the protections limit what you pay for unsafe cladding and historic safety defects
Advice guideCheck your rights if your landlord wants to charge you for fire safety work
Advice guide