The damning final report of the Grenfell Inquiry has shown the need for competence but there is still a great deal of work to do, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry was created to examine the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the fire at Grenfell Tower on the night of 14 June 2017.
Over the course of the inquiry more than 320,000 documents have been disclosed, more than 1,600 witness statements received and more than 300 public hearings held.
Brain Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said: “While the nation’s local builders are, for the most part, far removed from work that has been investigated as part of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, it does not mean they are precluded from improving industry standards. Domestic builders do not have minimum competence levels; they are not a protected profession like plumbers or electricians. If industry and government are serious about delivering competence, then introducing minimum standards for entry into domestic building work is a must – this is competence from the ground up.
“The new government needs to turn away from a culture of cutting regulation, which in part has led to poor building safety, and license domestic builders, underpinning the building regime with minimum standards. Why should homeowners not share in the safety net implemented post-Grenfell? Without minimum standards, unregulated or ‘dodgy’ building work will continue, and the industry will not shake off its poor reputation, which is driven by rogue operators plying their trade free from consequence.
Berry concluded: “However, where government has tried to regulate domestic builders, through the Building Safety Act, mostly for work involving building control, they have only outlined high level requirements without any underpinning competence. This has left builders confused and worried about committing to work they feel they may no longer be competent to do. The new Government must address this immediately, so industry has clear guidance.”
For more information and to view the Grenfell Tower Inquiry in full visit: https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/
