Hundreds of bereaved family members, survivors, and local residents (BSRs) have reached a settlement of civil claims following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.
The group of more than 900 people, represented by 14 legal firms, will receive compensation for the impact that the fire and its aftermath have had on their lives. The fire saw 72 fatalities, including 18 children, but also led to residents of all 129 flats in the tower block ending up homeless.
Hearings for the civil case began at the High Court in July 2021. The BSRs took action against 22 parties, including Arconic (cladding manufacturer), Saint Gobain (parent company of Celotex, an insulation manufacturer), Kingspan (another insulation manufacturer), Rydon (the main contractor), Harley Facades (the cladding sub-contractor), Exova (the fire engineering consultancy), Studio E (the architects), CS Stokes and Associates (the fire risk assessor), and Whirlpool (the manufacturer of the fridge freezer starting the fire), the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (the council landlord for Grenfell Tower), and the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (the building’s management company). The Home Office and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities were also included.
It is expected that the compensation (an undisclosed sum) will be shared out amongst the group “according to their own specific circumstances”. The legal firms representing the group also confirmed that the settlement did not include all victims of the fire.
Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), which was responsible for managing the tower block, said in a statement that it was “pleased to see that a settlement has been reached for the majority of the bereaved survivors and residents”.
“We recognise that a monetary settlement won’t mitigate for the loss and trauma, but both the settlement and the restorative justice process is a welcome step forward. Our deepest sympathies remain with all those impacted by this tragedy,” the management company added.
A spokesperson for Arconic told Inside Housing: “Arconic confirms that it is a party to the full and final settlement in connection with a large majority of the claims relating to the Grenfell Tower fire in the High Court brought by survivors and estates of decedents.
“Arconic also agreed to contribute to a restorative justice project to benefit the community affected by the fire.
“Arconic continues to express its deepest sympathy to the Grenfell residents and their families, and appreciates the importance of this milestone for providing a resolution that lessens the delay and stress to claimants that would result from protracted legal proceedings.”
A spokesperson for Rydon added: “Rydon, along with other companies and public sector bodies, has participated in an alternative dispute resolution process which related to a large number of civil claims brought by bereaved, survivors, and local residents of the Grenfell Tower disaster. Following productive and co-operative engagement between the parties, settlement terms have been agreed with the vast majority of those affected without the need for a prolonged legal process.
“Rydon continues to express its deepest sympathy to the Grenfell residents and their families.”
The civil claims case is separate from the public inquiry, which finished in November 2022 and was chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick. In a statement, the lawyers for the BSRs said:
“The settlement is completely independent of, and has no impact upon, the ongoing public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire, which is due to publish its report in 2023, or the ongoing criminal investigation where it is anticipated that the Crown Prosecution Service will make a decision on whether to pursue criminal charges against those responsible for the fire after publication of the final Grenfell Tower Inquiry report.
“In those respects, the BSRs fight for justice continues.
“Finally, it should be recognised that no amount of damages could ever be sufficient to properly compensate those affected by the fire.”