The fire warden at flats near Canary Wharf appeared to have difficulty understanding a resident who asked him: “Aren’t you supposed to be looking out for cladding?” The man replied: “Who is cladding?”

Buyers at the upmarket New Festival Quarter near Canary Wharf were promised a “home that meets your dreams”. Less than three years on they are living a nightmare after their freeholder demanded almost £40,000 a week to pay for 18 fire wardens to monitor the site around the clock following tests that found cladding on some of the buildings is highly flammable.

Residents — there are about 400 of them — describe the weekly cost as “outrageous” and have been further incensed after finding some of the wardens — who are each costing the equivalent of almost £30,000 a year — asleep on the job.

Residents at New ­Festival Quarter say the cost of fire wardens is outrageous

One resident, said: “My flat is in a building that is not even clad and the managing agent has admitted