The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), was found liable for the effects of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire on nine people, including four deaths, in a judgement passed by the High Court on 28 July 2022.
Judgement was passed on RBKC and its Tenant Management Organisation (TMO), who owned and managed the Tower, for nine of the 85 claimants represented in the case by Jhangir Mahmood of Bishop Lloyd and Jackson solicitors, Susan Rodway QC and Shaman Kapoor.
The council admitted that it had failed to ensure the building was not defective and had breached its duty of care to nine victims of the fire, resulting in the High Court finding it liable. RBKC continues to dispute the accusation that its actions caused the fire to spread.
Other companies and bodies continue to face ongoing action, and may also be found liable.
There are currently more than 1,100 people attempting to claim damages from the High Court as a result of the fire.
BLJ Solicitors commented the judgement had “been won in the face of resistance… to accept open responsibility and comes over five years since the fire”.
It added: “Many survivors and victims continue as tenants of RBKC. For the vast number, their ongoing housing issues continue to impact their recovery. Whilst many have been permanently rehoused, some remain in temporary and unsuitable housing, and those who have been permanently rehoused have not settled and wait to be rehoused. No end is in sight.”
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