A REMINDER to private landlords of high-rise blocks of the steps they should be taking following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London two weeks ago has been issued by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS.

All social housing landlords and housing providers/managers of all high-rise buildings, categorised as six storeys or above, have been requested by Government to identify whether their building has cladding which is made from ACM (Aluminium Composite Material).

If it is identified that cladding is ACM it should be sent to the Building Research Establishment (BRE) for testing, following instructions from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

This initial testing of samples has been offered for free by the Government.

Should a sample fail, notification would be given to the landlords and their fire and rescue service which will ensure appropriate steps are taken to safeguard the safety of residents.

WYFRS senior fire protection manager Chris Kemp said: “We would like to reassure the public that we are in regular contact with housing providers, landlords and managing agents of high rise premises across West Yorkshire during this process. At present we have not had notification of any cladding test failures within the West Yorkshire area and therefore have not been called upon to provide further inspections as yet.

“However, we are ready to respond should this happen, utilising our qualified Fire Protection Inspecting Officers.

“In total we have identified almost 700 high-rise buildings in West Yorkshire, however we are conscious that new properties are always being built and to this end we would ask that any person responsible for such premises, be it privately owned, existing or new, follows this advice.”

Guidance on how to do this can be found at gov.uk/government/publications/safety-checks-on-private-residential-blocks

Individuals with concerns about the building they are living in should approach their housing provider or managing agent in the first instance.

If people living in individual flats have concerns about fire safety in their home they can contact the Fire Service for a free home safety check. This can be booked via westyorksfire.gov.uk or by calling 0800 5874536.