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Unsafe cladding removal does not automatically mean residents must leave their homes. In England, most residents can usually stay while remediation is planned or under way, but the building’s specific fire-safety assessment and work plan determine whether that is safe. The owner, managing agent or landlord should explain the decision, any temporary precautions and what residents can expect. A move may be necessary in serious-risk situations or where work cannot safely proceed with people in the building.
Can I stay in my flat while cladding is being removed?
Usually, yes. England’s resident guidance says most people can remain at home while fire-safety remediation is planned or carried out. That is the general expectation, not a guarantee for every building or every stage of every project: the responsible building owner or manager should tell residents whether their particular building is safe to occupy.
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The phrase “unsafe cladding” alone does not establish the full work required or whether residents must move. The decision should be based on a building-specific assessment and plan. If external-wall safety is unclear, the government’s resident guidance on cladding and other fire-safety works says the fire-risk assessment should include an appraisal of the external walls.
Ask for the conclusion and its practical implications in writing. You need to know whether the assessment says the building can remain occupied during the planned work, whether that conclusion applies throughout the project or only to particular phases, and what would trigger a change. A general statement that work is “in progress” is not a substitute for an explanation of how residents are being kept informed and what arrangements apply to them.
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When might residents have to move out?
A temporary move, often called a decant, is possible but should be exceptional and a last resort. It may be necessary if there is a serious fire-safety risk, urgent work cannot safely take place while people remain, or the local council or fire and rescue service says the building is unsafe.
The Code of Practice for the remediation of residential buildings, updated on 2 November 2026, says that residents may rarely need to leave while works are completed, and that decants should be used only as a last resort. The Code also expects any decant to be kept as short as possible. This does not mean a resident can disregard a formal instruction to leave: if an authority tells residents to leave, contact the authority and the building’s responsible party promptly about what happens next.
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Before moving, ask the person arranging the decant to explain:
- Why staying during the work is not considered safe or practicable, and whether an authority has issued a notice or instruction.
- When residents must leave and the expected length of the move, including how and when they will receive updates if the date changes.
- What accommodation and other support are available, how the arrangements will be paid for, and whom to contact about practical or household needs.
- What needs to happen before residents can return, who will confirm that those conditions have been met, and how residents will be notified.
Do not assume an early estimate of the return date is a firm promise. Remediation schedules and individual arrangements are building-specific. If the expected period away changes, ask for the reason, the revised estimate and the next date when the responsible party will update you.
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What temporary safety measures might be used?
If residents can stay, the building’s responsible parties may put interim safeguards in place. The government guide gives temporary fire alarms, additional fire wardens and changes to evacuation plans as examples. Which measures are appropriate depends on the building and the work; residents should not be expected to choose, install or manage project safety equipment themselves.
Ask the owner or manager to say what measures apply, who is responsible for them, when they operate and what residents should do if they fail or a concern arises. If the evacuation plan changes, make sure you know the current instructions rather than relying on an old notice. Residents who need help to evacuate or understand an arrangement should raise that with the responsible party so their needs can be considered.
Temporary safeguards do not answer every question about the project. Residents should also be told whether the measures are intended to apply throughout the works, whether they will be reviewed as work progresses, and whom to contact if site activity or a change in the building appears inconsistent with the information provided.
What information should the building owner or manager provide?
Residents should receive meaningful information about the assessment, required work and expected process. The government’s resident guidance says owners and managers should explain whether checks and works are needed, how they will be carried out, and when work is expected to begin or how preparations are progressing. The remediation Code sets expectations for project teams to consider resident safety, access, disruption and communication.
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A useful update should make the plan understandable, not simply announce that contractors are on site. Ask for answers to these practical questions:
- What has been assessed? Has the building been checked, and, where external-wall safety was unclear, was an external-wall appraisal included in the fire-risk assessment?
- What work is required? Ask for a plain-language description of the scope and whether the plan is still being prepared or work has been approved.
- What is the sequence and timing? When is work expected to start? If there is no start date, what preparation remains and when will the next update be issued?
- How will occupancy be managed? Will residents be able to remain throughout, or are there phases or circumstances that could change that decision? What interim measures and evacuation arrangements apply?
- How will the project affect daily life? Ask about access, coverings, noise or other disruption the project team has identified, and how residents will be told about changes.
- How can residents raise concerns? Find out who receives questions, how to report an urgent safety concern and how the team will respond.
The Code also expects project teams to consider resident impact from access and coverings, reduce disruption where reasonably possible, keep fire exits unobstructed or explain mitigations, and keep fire-risk assessments current during work. These are useful subjects to raise with the project team; they are not a substitute for the building-specific plan or a guarantee that all disruption can be avoided.
Who pays for cladding work and temporary accommodation?
Costs depend on the type of cost and the resident’s circumstances. Government guidance says most leaseholders will not pay to replace or fix unsafe cladding, but protections and funding schemes have eligibility conditions. Those conditions can depend on matters such as building height or storeys, lease characteristics, ownership and the building’s scheme status. Do not infer that a particular flat is covered—or excluded—based only on a short summary.
For an individual bill, check the government’s resident guidance and ask the building owner or manager to explain what protection or funding route is being applied to the building and why. If you are asked to contribute, request the basis and calculation in writing before treating a general assurance or estimate as a final answer.
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Temporary accommodation is a separate issue from the cost of fixing the cladding. There is no universal payment rule for every resident. For an owner-occupier, lease terms and insurance may matter; for a renter, tenancy terms and available insurance may matter. Social landlords or councils are responsible for accommodation costs for their social-housing residents. Rent, mortgage or service-charge obligations may continue during a move, so ask the party arranging the decant to explain which costs it will cover and which obligations remain yours.
The owner or manager should discuss accommodation and consider household size, medical or accessibility needs, and location in relation to work, family or school. If an offer does not meet a significant need, explain the problem promptly and ask what alternatives can be considered. A local council may provide emergency accommodation in some cases, but that is not a blanket promise that it will arrange or fund every temporary move.
How should remediation be managed while people live in the building?
Cladding removal and replacement is a managed construction project, not simply a façade change. The project team needs to plan the work around the building’s assessed fire-safety risks, residents’ continued use of the building where permitted, safe access and construction hazards. The Code’s resident-focused expectations make communication and impact part of the project, alongside the work itself.
For residents, the important distinction is between a construction plan and a resident safety plan. The construction plan describes how work is organised; the safety arrangements explain whether people can remain, what precautions apply, how access and exits are affected, and how a change in risk or schedule will be communicated. Ask the responsible party how those plans fit together, especially if work changes the building’s access, coverings or normal arrangements.
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The Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on managing fire risk during cladding and insulation removal and replacement is aimed at inspectors and construction dutyholders, rather than residents. Its appendix was updated in September 2021, so it should not be treated as a current project-specific instruction or a resident’s substitute for advice from the responsible professionals. The practical point for residents is to seek the current building-specific arrangements from the project team, rather than trying to direct construction methods themselves.
What should I do if I am not getting updates?
Start with the responsible building owner, managing agent or landlord, or the people working on site, which the resident guidance identifies as the quickest route in most cases. Ask a clear, dated question and keep a copy of the response. If that route does not resolve the issue, residents can contact the government for advice.
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When seeking advice, the government guide asks residents to provide details such as the building address or postcode, its height or number of storeys, whether they own or rent, and contractor information. If you believe there is an immediate danger, use the appropriate emergency route rather than waiting for a routine project update. Where a council or fire and rescue service is involved, ask that authority what its formal advice or action means for residents.
This article covers England. The resident guide and Code discussed here state their England scope, so their legal and funding details should not be assumed to apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The sources reflect the resident guidance last updated on 23 September 2024 and the remediation Code updated on 2 November 2026; check the relevant official guidance for changes and for the latest information about your own building.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the government’s stated cladding spending mean my building has funding?
No. The government’s Code summary states that more than £5 billion is being spent to remediate unsafe cladding, but that national figure is not an entitlement or confirmation that a particular building qualifies. Ask the building owner or manager which funding route applies and what evidence supports that decision.
Does this guidance apply to cladding work in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
The resident guidance and remediation Code discussed here apply to England, so their legal and funding details should not be treated as UK-wide rules. Residents elsewhere should check the guidance and arrangements that apply in their own nation.
Are 500 to 3,400 buildings still awaiting remediation?
That was an estimate in the government’s July 2025 update, describing relevant 11m-plus buildings not yet in a remediation programme based on the latest data then available. It is not a current count of all unsafe buildings; the page was updated in June 2026, and the estimate should be read with that date and context.
