A cross party group of MPs has opposed the Government’s plans to make many buy-to-let landlords pay for the replacement of dangerous cladding. 

Ministers have proposed that landlords renting out more than one leasehold property will be excluded from its commitment that no leaseholder should have to pay for the removal of unsafe cladding following the Grenfell tragedy. 

Following evidence provided by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee has said in its report on building safety that: ‘Buy-to-let landlords are no more to blame than other leaseholders for historic building safety defects and landing them with potentially unaffordable bills will only slow down or prevent works to make buildings safe.’ 

In its evidence to the Committee the NRLA argued that it was completely unfair that individual landlords should be the only leaseholders not to be covered by the Government’s plans to finance the removal of dangerous cladding. 

Ben Beadle, chief executive at the NRLA, said: “We are delighted that the Committee agrees with us. The Government’s decision to exclude buy-to-let landlords renting more than one property from its scheme is unfair and unacceptable. As the Committee rightly notes landlords are no more to blame than other leaseholders for historic building safety defects.”