Council To Charge Leaseholders For Sprinklers

Wandsworth Council has previously committed to installing sprinklers in all 100 of its residential buildings of 10 storeys or higher. The council’s Conservative-led executive has now given the green light to proposals to attempt to recover the estimated £24m cost of the works through leaseholder service charges. A report by Brian Reilly, director of housing and regeneration at the council, said it has received legal advice that this route would be possible. The charges will be between £3,000 and £4,000 for each of the 2,358 leasehold flats set to have sprinklers installed. Read more on Inside Housing.

ALMO 'First in England to Fit Sprinkler to Tower Block'

An ALMO which is facing the threat of being brought back in-house by its council claims it has fitted the first tenanted tower block in England with a sprinkler system. Three-star ALMO Sheffield Homes - which manages 42,000 homes on behalf of the council - said it was "very proud" that its Callow Mount Sheltered Scheme had been recognised. However, Sheffield Council's cabinet met in October to discuss the recommendation that the management of its housing stock be brought back under council control. If agreed, tenants would then be consulted with an independent consultation in February. The work to fit the sprinkler system has come directly after the completion of over 12 months of decent homes investment work at the scheme and just weeks before district heating upgrade work was carried out on the building. Read more on the Sheffield Star website.