Emerson Group says it will sign cladding contract

The Emerson Group, of which Jones Homes is the residential subsidiary, has told Housing Today it plans to sign the government’s cladding contract “imminently”. 

The construction group was one of 11 firms housing secretary Michael Gove named in the House of Commons last Tuesday as having missed the deadline the day before to sign the legally-binding building safety document. 

The group released a statement saying: “The company will, as demanded by the government, sign the finalised self-remediation terms and deed of bilateral contract when received from Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and checked by the company’s solicitors.”

However, it added: “The Emerson Group and Jones Homes have co-operated fully with all parties, including the DLUHC, to address remediation issues for more than three years. It is therefore disappointing that a misleading impression has been given by the government last week.”

The group told Housing Today is would sign the contract  “imminently”. 

Gove effectively last week threatened to put housebuilders’ out of business if they did not sign the contract, under new laws brought in last year. Telford Homes, London Square and Ballymore have since signed the deal, which requires them to fix safety defects on blocks over 11m that they have built or refurbished, over the past 30 years. Eight firms are now yet to sign the contract.

The Emerson Group said three blocks would come under the contract. It will work with the firm Peel, which it said currently owns two of the blocks, which are managed by Emerson Management Services, to carry out the work. 

“We have worked closely with the owner [Peel] to facilitate remediation and this is expected to begin shortly,” the statement said.  

It said a third block it owned itself had been assessed by professional consultants to determine a remediation strategy. 

The firm also made clear internal remediations to the buildings have already been carried out and “provisions have been made in the company’s accounts for the costs”.

“The Emerson Group and Jones Homes remain committed to completing the balance of the fire safety remediation works,” the firm added.