Whenever there is a serious fire or some other form of accident involving apartment blocks, the resulting inquiry usually finds that the most basic safety precautions have been neglected.
Smoke doors are deliberately jammed open, trash is piled up in corridors and a tangle of electrical wiring hangs down haphazardly from the walls. But this time the Government has taken decisive action by writing to the property owners whose buildings have defective wiring, telling them to waste no time in carrying out repairs.
Even if that welcome move has the desired effect, there is still a case to be made for legislation to force communal property owners to ensure the common parts of a block conform to specified safety standards. Lives have been lost in the past because of neglect and complacency; as much as possible needs to be done to prevent a recurrence.
The true situation is that many of these old buildings are ideal candidates for demolition. But redevelopment on such a scale would be a massive undertaking, which means many potential deathtraps will be around for years ahead.
If they are to be made safe, owners will face hefty bills. A $500 million government fund has been allocated to give loans for structural improvements such as fire escapes and fabric maintenance. It is extended to cover electrical re-wiring, provided owners belong to the voluntary Buildings Safety Inspections Scheme. If not, they have to foot the bill themselves.
Many tenants in residential blocks built 30 to 40 years ago are elderly or of limited means. Building officials who compare a driver's responsibility for the safety of a car with a home owner's duty to maintain property are missing the point. Car ownership is a matter of choice. Those who live in substandard housing usually do so because they cannot afford anything better. If they need loans to upgrade their building, help should be available.