United Kingdom

At present the only mandatory checks on cladding are being DEMANDED for local council owned/managed tower blocks. I understand that ALL of the samples tested have failed!

What's NOT being reported is that this sort of cladding and insulations must have been used in many privately owned blocks or student accommodation blocks, and the government merely ASKS that owners/managers carry out testing!

There are huge implications in terms of costs and liabilities for testing, replacement or improvements to building fire safety, but I really can't get my head around the fact that residents of council owned properties are apparently being treated (quite rightly) as living in potential death-traps, but the residents of other residential tower accommodation are just being left to the whim of their building landlord/managing agent.

The only conclusion I can come to is that the government is fully aware that the problem is MUCH bigger than most people realise, and that the system of checking/temporarily rehousing residents would completely breakdown with the additional burden of private blocks.

They're already teetering on the brink of political oblivion, so I think they're trying to avoid rocking the boat too much.