A property giant is dragging hundreds of city centre residents to tribunal to force them each to pay £10,000 for the removal of dangerous Grenfell-style cladding.

One year on from the Grenfell tragedy, more than 300 leaseholders at Vallea Court and Cypress Place in the Green Quarter have been arguing their case at a tribunal because their freeholder, the investor Pemberstone, want them to pay the £3m bill.

That was the result of investigations carried out in the wake of the London blaze, which found the same dangerously flammable material had been used on their blocks.

After the leaseholders said they did not feel it was their responsibility to pay, Pemberstones launched legal action against them - which saw residents crowd-fund enough money to pay for legal advice, but still unable to fund a lawyer for the hearing.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Fran Reddington, 33, says the community has had no help from the council, the mayor’s office, the government or anyone else, adding that they have effectively been left to fend for themselves.

“The hardest thing for us is that we have not really had any support from anybody,” she said.

“We got the official letters from the management company but then we got hit by these notices and we didn’t really know what to do.

“Luckily we have got quite a strong community and set up this Facebook group to see what we could do together. So that’s how we got the crowdfunding. We didn’t have the option of a lawyer though and just had to fight for ourselves.

“It’s so stressful and we’ve just been left. The worst thing is that we’re just being ignored.”

The two Green Quarter blocks, which are managed by Living City, were built by international development giant Lend Lease. In recent years the freehold has been sold on to Pemberstone, a property investment giant that owns residential and commercial buildings across the country, which argues that under the terms of their leases the residents should pay for any remedial works themselves.

However a copy of one introduction letter sent by Lend Lease to a purchaser - who had bought their flat directly from them - states that ‘Lend Lease will undertake, at our expense, to complete any accepted defect that has arisen as a result of either faulty materials or defective workmanship’.

Nevertheless while the buildings are understood to still be under warranty, residents have so far also been unable to claim costs for removing and replacing the cladding through insurance - and they say Lend Lease has been silent on the issue.

Residents have also noted that the developer, states in its corporate vision that ‘companies must start justifying their worth to society, with greater emphasis placed on environmental and social impact rather than straight economics’.

Marketing consultant Katie Kelly bought her flat from the developer four years ago.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

“Not only are big businesses failing to do the right thing, they are happily putting over 300 people’s lives at risk,” she said.

“The way the whole situation has been handled, from taking us to a tribunal which we will likely have to pay for, to taking over a year to even begin work to make our homes safe, is crazy.

“I can’t understand how nobody from these businesses feels responsible.”

Leaseholders say they have no idea what will happen if they lose the tribunal and are left literally unable to pay the money.

Lucy Powell, MP for next-door Manchester Central, has been dealing with a number of such cases in the city over the past year, including a similar dispute at the Chips building in New Islington.

A few weeks ago housing minister Dominic Raab responded to an inquiry from her on the issue, reiterating that private sector companies should ‘do the right thing’ and not pass the costs on to leaseholders.

However his letter does not outline any government plans to force the hand of those who will not, adding that ministers are keeping the situation ‘under review’.

Lucy Powell said that one year on from Grenfell blaze, which happened on June 14 last year, the government’s position was ‘not good enough’.

“I have been helping lots of residents who are concerned about fire safety – particularly in private blocks, she added.

“In many cases they are also worried about being forced to pay huge sums to make their buildings safe.

(Image: Rick Findler/PA Wire)

“In a recent reply I received from the government I was told that the government were urging companies not to pass costs on to leaseholders but this is not good enough.

“People who bought their homes in good faith now find that they may not be safe and on top of their worries, they are often being asked to pay large sums of money to put that right.”

One year on, the government is ‘nowhere near’ sorting out the implications of Grenfell for the private housing sector, she added.

The tribunal is expected to take around six weeks to report back.

A spokesperson for Pemberstone said: “The tribunal is a well established forum to which either landlords or leaseholders can apply to establish clarity on an issue that affects the management of a residential building and its service charge.

“Tribunals are independent and are widely used within the residential property sector. They are particularly appropriate for large schemes like this where there are 345 apartment owners, some of whom are investors located overseas.

“We believe an independent decision from a tribunal would be in the best interests for all concerned and should allow us to establish a clear way forward.

“Our property managers Livingcity are in regular contact with apartment owners and have been providing regular updates.

“Over the past year they have sent out nine letters to all leaseholders explaining the latest position and have issued responses to at least 78 individual enquiries.

“They have an office on site and a web portal on which they post information.

“They also hold regular residents’ meetings including one in February attended by over 100 individuals.

“We regard the safety of the residents as of paramount importance and we are continuing to work with the technical teams to achieve the best possible solution.”

A spokesperson from Lendlease said: “Safety is our top priority. We were not aware of the tribunal, until yesterday, and are now investigating these issues.”

A spokesperson for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Housing said: “Nothing is more important than keeping people safe.

“We have been clear we want to see private sector landlords do the morally right thing and not pass on the costs of essential cladding replacement to leaseholders.

“We are keeping the situation under review and have not ruled out any options.”

Coun Suzanne Richard, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration, said: “Issues around leaseholders being put in a position where they are picking up the financial burden for failed cladding is going to become more and more prevalent as private building owners try and offset the costs of remedial works.

“Of course, the safety of residents in high-rise properties is paramount, but leaseholders are being put in an unfair situation – potentially an untenable financial position – and I would urge government to provide some clarity around this growing problem.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “I completely sympathise with the residents of Vallea Court and Cypress Place, and indeed all residents of private blocks who are facing hikes in service charges to pay for fire safety works. It is clear to me that residents should not be faced with this financial burden, which is putting many at risk of hardship.

“Through the work of the High Rise Taskforce, which I established immediately following the Grenfell tragedy, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has developed a relationship and now works closely with the managing agent of these two blocks to ensure the right fire safety measures are in place until the cladding can be replaced.

"A meeting has also been held with residents of private blocks, which included residents of Vallea Court and Cypress Place, where the Chair of the Taskforce, Paul Dennett, listened to concerns and fed back on the work we are doing across Greater Manchester to ensure residents can feel safe in their homes.

“Ultimately, the responsibility for this national crisis lies with the Government.

"That’s why, after speaking to residents and listening to their concerns and worries, I have repeatedly called on Ministers to step up and provide urgent funding for every block that needs cladding stripping.”