Laura Sharman 29 November 2019

London council sues contractors for £130m over ‘fire safety failings’

Camden Council has launched legal action against a group of contractors over ‘multiple fire safety failings’ that led to the evacuation of the Chalcots Estate two years ago.

The council is seeking £130m costs from contractor PFIC (Partners for Improvement in Camden) and its principal subcontractors, who refurbished and maintained the estate under a private finance initiative.

The council is looking to recover the cost of the evacuation and the repairs needed to improve fire safety such as the removal of removal of combustible aluminium composite material cladding from the blocks’ outer façade.

A council spokesman said: ‘We were let down by PFIC, Rydon and other contractors. The PFI agreement for refurbishment and maintenance of the Chalcots Estate was entered into in good faith and fundamental to this was our expectation that the Chalcots towers would be safe for our residents.

'We should not have been put in a position where we were left with no option but to evacuate residents from their homes on a Friday night.’

The council received £80m from Government in October 2018 to fund the replacement of the cladding, but said this only covers part of the costs.

‘The costs of the supporting residents during the evacuation and level of work required at the Chalcots made a major impact on our reserves. Clearly, it would not be right for residents and, by extension, the public purse, to foot the bill for what has been a private contractor failure,’ the spokesman added.

Photo: © Julian Osley

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Support Assistant

Durham County Council
£24,027 pro rata
Support Assistant Grade 1 £24,027 pro rata Temporary – required from 1st October 2025 until 31st October 2026  20 hours per week Mon – Fri, 10am -2pm, Consett
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Caretaker

Durham County Council
£24.027 – £24,404 pro rata
Caretaker Grade 2  £24.027 – £24,404 pro rata Full Time, Whole Time Permanent Required as soon as possible The Governors of our fully inclusive, succ Consett
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Breakfast Club Supervisory Assistant

Durham County Council
£24,027 pro rata
Breakfast Club Supervisory Assistant Grade 1 £24,027 pro rata 8hrs 45mins per week, term time only Permanent Required from 15th September 2025 Our Go Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Lunchtime Supervisory Assistant

Durham County Council
£24,027 pro rata
Lunchtime Supervisory Assistant Grade 1      £24,027 pro rata Permanent 7hrs 30mins per week, term time only Required from 2nd September 2025 Our Gov Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Social Worker

Durham County Council
£34,314 - £37,938 / £39,513- £43,693 p.a. i.e. grade 9 pre progression/grade 11 post progression PAY AWARD PENDING
We are looking for two fulltime permanent Social Workers to join our Integrated Learning Disabilities South Team. WHAT IS INVOLVED? You will work Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner