Renting in Buildings Under Remediation: Tenants' Rights & Risks

Renting in Buildings Under Remediation: Tenants' Rights & Risks

The wave of cladding and fire-safety remediation across London — and late‑2025 updates from DLUHC and the Mayor’s Office — has reshaped the private rented sector heading into 2026. For renters this means fewer flats available in some boroughs, potential rent and service‑charge pressure, and new transparency and rehousing expectations when works affect safety. This guide explains where the pressure points are, what tenants can legally demand, and practical tactics to find a safe, affordable flat while remediation continues.

Quick takeaways

• Late‑2025 DLUHC and GLA guidance tightened transparency and rehousing expectations for higher‑risk buildings; local authorities have clearer enforcement powers.
• Market snapshots from Rightmove, Zoopla and Savills showed reduced availability and modest rent rises in heavily affected boroughs (central and east London) heading into 2026.
• Tenants can and should demand information, reasonable mitigation (temporary rehousing or compensation), and can pursue rent reductions through tribunals where works materially affect habitability.
• Practical checks, negotiation tactics and simple templates make it much easier to secure a safe rental or to extract concessions when remediation is underway.

What changed in late 2025 (brief)

In late 2025, DLUHC issued updated guidance clarifying obligations for building owners and managers where remediation is required on higher‑risk residential buildings. The Mayor’s Office published a prioritisation framework for London boroughs, including additional funding routes and a public‑facing register of high‑risk projects to improve transparency.

Key practical effects for renters:

• Stronger expectations that freeholders/landlords disclose remediation status and timelines to tenants and prospective renters.
• Clearer pathways for temporary rehousing where a building is deemed unsafe to occupy during works.
• Greater involvement from the Building Safety Regulator and local authorities to enforce remediation and to require meaningful resident consultation on phasing, access and safety measures.

(If you want to read primary guidance, check DLUHC and the Greater London Authority websites for the full late‑2025 updates.)

Which London boroughs are most affected?

Remediation concentration follows where tall, modern apartment stock is densest — particularly towers and large estates built or refurbished between the late 1990s and early 2010s. Market snapshots from Rightmove, Zoopla and Savills in late 2025 showed the highest remediation caseload and most pronounced supply impact in boroughs such as:

• Tower Hamlets
• Newham
• Hackney
• Islington
• Camden
• Kensington & Chelsea
• Southwark
• Hammersmith & Fulham
• Lewisham

These boroughs have a mix of high‑rise developments, Build‑to‑Rent schemes and large private blocks where cladding or external‑wall remediation programmes are common. Rightmove and Zoopla reported lower new listing volumes and longer clearance times in affected postcodes; Savills highlighted developers and investors factoring remediation timelines into lettings and pricing strategies.

If you're flexible on location, consider boroughs with lower remediation exposure (many outer London boroughs and smaller low‑rise areas). For young professionals balancing price and commute, see our roundup of better value neighbourhoods in Top 10 Areas for Young Professionals 2025.

How remediation is changing availability, rents and service charges

• Availability: Where scaffolding and restrictions are present, agencies often delay new lets or reduce marketing. Snapshot data from mid‑late 2025 showed notable falls in listing volumes in hotspots — in some postcodes availability fell by double‑digits year‑on‑year.

• Rents: Tight supply in affected micro‑markets pushed asking rents higher in some locations, while units with active or imminent works were sometimes discounted or offered with concessions. Overall, expect a mixed market: premium for safe, certified flats; discounts or negotiable terms for units with remediation works.

• Service charges: Remediation costs are typically passed to leaseholders via service charges; for private tenants, this can translate into higher rents as landlords factor expected charges into pricing. Savills and agents have reported developments where service‑charge spikes have affected lettings decisions and led to requests for rent concessions.

Remember: market effects vary building by building. Two adjacent blocks can have very different remediation statuses and market behaviour.

What renters can legally demand (practical summary)

Legal frameworks are evolving, but several dependable principles apply:

• Right to information: Under the updated DLUHC/Mayor guidance, landlords and managing agents should disclose known remediation status, EWS/Building Safety assessments (where relevant), an outline timeline and who is paying for works. Ask for this in writing — it strengthens any later claim.

• Safety and habitability: Landlords must provide safe accommodation. If remedial works make a flat unsafe to occupy (structural risk, removal of fire doors, blocked escape routes), landlords or freeholders are expected to offer temporary rehousing or reasonable compensation while works continue.

• Rent reductions and compensation: If works materially interfere with enjoyment (no heating, noisy 24/7 works, loss of essential services), tenants can seek rent reductions. If the landlord refuses, the First‑Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) can consider rent abatements. Keep evidence: dated photos, communications, receipts for alternative accommodation.

• Enforcement and reporting: Local authorities and the Building Safety Regulator can compel remediation where a building is unsafe. Tenants can report unsafe conditions to the local council's building control or environmental health teams; charities like Shelter and Citizens Advice can help with routes to enforcement.

• Service charges and tenancy type: Most private tenants do not directly pay remediation service‑charge bills (these fall to leaseholders), but where tenants are contractually responsible for service charges, you can request a breakdown and challenge unreasonable costs through the First‑Tier Tribunal.

Practical checks before you rent (viewing checklist)

When booking or attending a viewing of a flat in London, use this checklist to spot remediation risk and get useful information quickly:

• Visual signs: scaffolding, protective netting, hoardings, visible contractors or site offices attached to the block.
• Notices: Fire‑safety or building notices pinned to entrances; evacuation instructions; contractor contact details.
• Ask for documentation: recent fire risk assessment (FRA), external wall system reports (EWS1 or equivalent), Building Safety certificate or HRB registration, and the management company’s remediation plan and timeline.
• Fire safety features: Are there communal sprinklers? Smoke alarms in the flat? Final‑exit routes and staircases clear and signed?
• Disruption profile: Ask when noisy works take place, how long scaffolding will be up, whether common areas will be accessible, and whether lifts may be out of service.
• Temporary rehousing policy: Ask the landlord/agent who would pay for alternative accommodation if the flat becomes unsafe. Get their answer in writing.
• Neighbour intelligence: Speak to current residents or reception staff about past works, noise, and how the landlord handled them.
• Online checks: Look up the building on Rightmove or Zoopla to compare listings with similar flats and search council planning and building control applications for remediation notices.

For digital platforms and safety, read our guide on privacy and AI checks when renting in London for more on vetting listings and agents: Privacy & AI Checks When Renting in London: A Renter's Guide.

How to negotiate when remediation is occurring

A few practical tactics that work in 2026:

• Ask for a written remediation disclosure before signing. If the landlord resists, use this as leverage: propose a lower rent or a short‑term tenancy until works finish.

• Negotiate a formal concessions package: a rent reduction, reduced deposit (if possible), paid alternative accommodation during noisy phases, or a clause allowing early break without penalty if works extend beyond a set date.

• Get commitments in the tenancy agreement: include dates or milestones for works, explicit agreement on who pays for temporary rehousing, and a clause requiring the landlord to provide evidence of progress (e.g., monthly contractor updates).

• Use evidence to press for abatements: document inconveniences and costs; if your landlord refuses fair compensation, a tribunal is an option. Local charities and free legal clinics can advise on the chance of success.

Sample short request (email) to an agent/landlord requesting remediation info:

Dear [Agent/Landlord],

I’m interested in renting [address/flat]. Before proceeding, could you please provide any recent fire‑safety or external‑wall reports (EWS/FRAs), the building’s remediation status, an outline of planned works and expected timelines, and your policy on temporary rehousing or compensation if the flat becomes unsafe or significantly disrupted?

Kind regards, [Your name]

Keep all replies; they form part of your documentary record.

When you should consider walking away

Some situations are red flags for most renters:

• No documentation or a refusal to answer basic safety and timeline questions.
• Works already underway with no clear completion dates and significant loss of essential services (heating, hot water, secure entry).
• Repeated short-term conversions where tenants are moved frequently — a sign the building is in long running works.
• Unclear responsibility for costs or a landlord asking you to accept all remediation risk in the tenancy contract.

If in doubt, ask for a short extension of time to carry out checks or seek independent advice from Shelter, Citizens Advice, or a housing solicitor.

Finding safe, affordable flats while remediation continues

Tactics to keep options open and reduce risk:

• Prioritise certified buildings: pick blocks with up‑to‑date Building Safety certificates or recent FRA updates and those where works are complete.
• Focus on low‑rise stock: low‑rise conversions and houses are less likely to be subject to external‑wall remediation.
• Use flexible tenancies and break clauses: these limit your exposure if remediation becomes prolonged.
• Negotiate a rent‑in‑advance structure: for landlords hesitant to discount rent, ask for a short initial discounted period (first month rent at a lower rate) in exchange for signing a longer tenancy.
• Expand search radius: sometimes moving one or two stops outward provides far better value and less remediation risk.

Also be alert to scams. As remediation squeezes supply, fraudulent or misleading listings can increase. Protect yourself with verification steps in our piece on rental scams: Shield Yourself from Rental Scams in London: AI-Age Safety.

Example scenarios and practical outcomes

1. The quiet discount A one‑bed in an Islington block had scaffolding and an upcoming external‑wall repair. The prospective tenant asked for the remediation timeline and was offered a 7% rent discount for the first 6 months and written confirmation that temporary rehousing would be provided if access to the flat was restricted. The tenant accepted — lower short‑term cost, formal protections included.

2. The unsafe building A tenant in a Tower Hamlets tower found fire doors removed during works and repeated lift outages. The landlord refused temporary rehousing. The tenant contacted the council building control, Shelter and obtained a rent reduction via the First‑Tier Tribunal, plus temporary hotel accommodation paid by the landlord while enforcement progressed.

3. The completed upgrade A family moved into a restored Southwark block where remediation completed just before the tenancy started. The landlord provided a copy of the completion certificate and a two‑year guarantee from the managing agent for any further external works. The tenants accepted and had peace of mind.

These simplified examples show the range of outcomes: full transparency and documentation usually protects tenants and yields a better deal.

Practical resources and who to contact

• DLUHC and Building Safety Regulator websites (for official guidance and the latest policy updates).
• Greater London Authority (Mayor’s Office) for London‑specific prioritisation and funding announcements.
• Local council building control and environmental health teams (to report unsafe conditions).
• Shelter and Citizens Advice (free guidance and negotiation support).
• First‑Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) — for rent reduction disputes and challenges to unreasonable service charges.

Final checklist for renters (quick)

• Ask for remediation status, FRA and expected timelines in writing before you sign.
• Check for visible scaffolding, site notices and contractor presence during viewing.
• Negotiate concessions and get them into the tenancy agreement with clear milestones.
• Keep photographic and written records of disruption; seek advice early if unresponsive landlords refuse mitigation.
• Prefer certified/completed buildings or low‑rise stock if you need absolute certainty.

Remediation across London is a structural market change that will take years to unwind. Armed with the late‑2025 guidance, practical checks and realistic negotiation expectations, renters can protect themselves while still finding safe, affordable accommodation in 2026.