The Week That Was -25 July 2025

Published on 25 July 2025

Welcome to the week that was, a round-up of key events in the construction sector over the last seven days.

Guinness Partnership rolls out £300m UK-Wide remediation scheme

The Guinness Partnership has launched a £300m framework for remediation works across UK residential and mixed-use buildings, covering both planned upgrades and emergency repairs.

Running from 15 September 2025 to 14 September 2029 and managed by ProcurePublic, it is open to all public sector authorities - up to 25 contractors will be appointed.

The scope includes cladding removal, fire stopping, doors and detection systems, concrete and steel repairs, foundation stabilisation, lifts, ventilation, M&E compliance, and roof, facade, and balcony refurbishments. Specialist surveys and investigations are also included; and, instead of traditional lots, contractors will be matched to workstreams via a dynamic filtering system, offering fairer access based on capability.

Bids are due by 12 August, with an enquiry deadline of 5 August, with contracts being awarded via direct award or mini competition. A supplier fee, capped at 2%, will apply.

You can read more here.

Court of Appeal confirms leaseholders are not liable for historic fire safety costs

In a landmark ruling which is expected to further shift financial responsibility firmly onto developers and building owners, the Court of Appeal has held that neither developers nor building owners can recover fire safety remediation costs from leaseholders for defects identified before June 2022.

The decision stems from two cases: Adriatic Land 5 Ltd v Leaseholders of Hippersley Point [2025] EWCA Civ 856 and Triathlon Homes LLP v Stratford Village Development Partnership & Get Living plc [2025] EWCA Civ 846. The Court confirmed that key provisions of the Building Safety Act 2022 apply retrospectively, protecting leaseholders from charges related to historic safety defects. In the first case, Adriatic’s attempt to pass tribunal costs onto residents was rejected; and in the second, developers were ordered to contribute to remediation costs via Remediation Contribution Orders.

The Secretary of State, Angela Rayner, has supported the retrospective approach, stating that it ensures redress for long-standing safety issues.

You can read more here.

Landlords could face jail for missing cladding remediation deadlines

The Remediation Bill introduces statutory deadlines for building owners to address unsafe cladding. Owners of buildings 18 metres and above must complete remediation by the end of 2029, while those responsible for buildings between 11 and 18 metres must do so by the end of 2031. Failure to meet these deadlines may result in financial penalties or imprisonment. The Bill grants Homes England and local councils the authority to intervene and carry out remediation if landlords do not comply.

Official figures published in May showed that more than half of the 5,052 buildings with dangerous cladding have yet to be remediated; under the new legislation, housing associations and local authorities will have access to £1 billion in new funding, enabling the remediation on social rented, affordable rented and shared ownership properties on the same basis as leasehold properties. A national remediation system, managed by Homes England, will provide up-to-date building safety data and support regulatory oversight.

For more information, please click here.

Scottish testing and certification centre sold to French giant Socotec

Socotec has acquired UK Testing and Certification (UKTC), a laboratory based in East Kilbride, marking its 14th UK acquisition. UKTC specialises in fire resistance and reaction to fire testing, as well as certification services for a range of building materials and systems. The laboratory will continue to operate under its current management. This acquisition strengthens Socotec’s building safety and compliance services by expanding its testing capabilities and enabling the delivery of more comprehensive services to clients. Socotec believes this move will help meet growing regulatory demands and improve support for clients across the construction and property sectors.

You can read more here.

Selworthy Special School buildings to be demolished

Three buildings at Selworthy Special School’s Selworthy Road campus are set to be demolished this summer after being identified as a potential collapse risk. The campus, which supports nearly 90 pupils aged four to eleven with a range of educational needs, was found to contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) following investigations two years ago. RAAC, a lightweight form of concrete more commonly used in construction from the 1950s to the 1990s, has since been recognised as less durable than traditional concrete, with the potential to fail suddenly and without warning.

To ensure pupil and staff safety, the affected areas—two storage rooms and a caretaker’s room—were decommissioned in 2023. The demolition work is scheduled to take place during the school holidays, from 23 July to 29 August, to minimise disruption to learning. The school and local authorities are working closely to ensure all necessary safety precautions are observed throughout the process.