Cladding Crisis: Jenrick admits he's still not met homeowners

29 October 2020, 09:29 | Updated: 29 October 2020, 09:43

Cladding crisis: Nick Ferrari confronts Robert Jenrick on meeting

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick admits he has still not met with people trapped in homes with dangerous cladding - despite telling LBC he would do so by the end of October.

Millions of desperate people are now trapped in homes with unsafe cladding which has rendered their properties entirely worthless, LBC has found.

The crisis has its roots in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the realisation that thousands of buildings have a similar, dangerous cladding.

Read more: Tearful caller "devastated" as her daughter's home is branded unsellable due to cladding

The Housing Secretary pledged on Nick Ferrari's breakfast show that he would meet with the owners of 'unsellable' homes by the end of October - however on returning to Nick Ferrari's show today, he admitted he still had not.

Nick asked why Mr Jenrick had not been able to facilitate the meeting: "This is three million people, some of them possibly living in fire traps."

"I think it's important we don't have another Grenfell, don't you?"

Mr Jenrick told Nick he understands the gravity of the situation and is working on the crisis "every day" to which Nick responded, "Why no meeting, Mr Jenrick?"

"Well we have had meetings with a whole range of cladding groups...what is important here is we actually take action and don't make false promises that there are easily solutions," the housing secretary said.

He told Nick his department is now approaching 80% of all buildings that have the most dangerous ACM cladding, and those buildings have either had it removed or there are workers onsite de-risking.

He said while he is close to making "other announcements" regarding cladding, he does not want to give false hope.

Nick Ferrari confronts the Housing Secretary over unsellable homes due to cladding

The UK Cladding Action Group have expressed surprise that Mr Jenrick has unfollowed them on Twitter - when asked, Mr Jenrick "didn't know" why that was the case.

"This is of huge importance to them, I think they'd like to be followed and more importantly like to be met," Nick said.

"Understood. We want to talk to and engage with everybody in this situation," Mr Jenrick said.

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

'Our wombs are owned by Westminister': Myleene Klass hits out at government for neglecting women going through baby loss

'Our wombs are owned by Westminster': Myleene Klass hits out at government for neglecting women experiencing baby loss

Exclusive
Nick Ferrari Challenge: Can LBC’s Henry Riley recreate Daniel Khalife’s prison escape?

Nick Ferrari Challenge: Can LBC’s Henry Riley recreate Daniel Khalife’s dramatic prison escape?

Exclusive
Mandy Damari, the mother of Emily Damari - the last remaining British citizen being held hostage in Gaza - has pleaded with Sir Keir Starmer to help bring her daughter home as she looked back on the harrowing events of October 7.

'It nearly broke my heart': Mother of British hostage Emily Damari blasts Downing Street over vetoed Gaza deal

Exclusive
Jane Rubens, 73, from Edinburgh was hit by a large vehicle in early November and remains in a coma.

Insurance firm gave Brit 'less than 24 hours' to make a decision against doctors’ advice after mum suffered brain injury

Exclusive
LBC’s Nick Ferrari has remembered being spiked while at a party.

‘The whole world was spinning’: Nick Ferrari candidly recalls drink spiking as he shares 'appalling' side-effects

Exclusive
‘The storm of war is gathering’: Defence cuts leave UK critically unprepared for a 'bumpy decade', warns ex-minister

‘The storm of war is gathering’: Defence cuts leave UK 'woefully unprepared' for a 'bumpy decade', warns ex-minister

Education Secretary Bridget Philipson 'hasn't changed her mind' and will vote against assisted dying bill

Education Secretary Bridget Philipson 'hasn't changed her mind' and will vote against assisted dying bill

Nick Ferrari takes to the streets of the US to ask Americans: 'Can you identify these British politicians?'

Nick Ferrari takes to the streets of the US to ask Americans: 'Can you identify these British politicians?'

Why did Trump win and why did Harris lose? Nick Ferrari asks American voters

Why did Trump win and Harris lose? Nick Ferrari asks American voters in the wake of US election results

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the United States'

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the US'

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said she strongly disagrees with a tweet that a backbench MP appeared to have reposted saying Kemi Badenoch represents "white supremacy in blackface".

Cooper condemns 'appalling' tweet shared by Dawn Butler labelling Kemi Badenoch 'white supremacy in blackface'

Exclusive
Cumberland County: Where the US election could be won or lost

Nick Ferrari travels to America for the US Election: Watch the best bits here

Exclusive
The Chancellor was speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Chancellor ‘doesn’t know’ salary of new chairman tasked with ensuring government ‘value for money'

Transparency over Southport stabbings key to avoiding 'deep public mistrust in the criminal justice system', says Jenrick

Transparency over Southport stabbings key to avoiding 'deep public mistrust' in criminal justice system, says Jenrick

Exclusive
The government has introduced its football governance bill.

'We're on the same side': Minister denies feud with Premier League over Football Governance Bill

Exclusive
Protest sign reading Danger water pollution, this water is polluted with raw sewage. The responsible party is Thames Water. River Wey, Guildford, UK

Government warns demand for water could outstrip supply as they launch review into 'broken' sector