Archway FM Featured in This Month's Government Business Magazine
We often see facilities and property teams stuck answering questions they haven't got answers to: when will the building be made safe, can it be assessed for funding, who's actually responsible for the next step?
This is the gap our director, Philip Mallon MRICS, sets out to address in a two-page feature in this season's issue of Government Business magazine.
Why Are So Many Buildings Still Awaiting Assessment?
Cladding risk isn't visible to the naked eye, and most people managing residential blocks aren't equipped to judge whether their building's external wall meets current fire safety standards. Without a Fire Risk Appraisal of the External Wall (FRAEW), that risk can sit unaddressed for years, often only surfacing when a leaseholder tries to sell and the question finally gets asked.
As Phil explains in the piece, this reactive pattern is one of the clearest signs that many buildings remain unassessed altogether. Not because anyone is ignoring the problem, but because nobody has been prompted to look.
Fragmentation Is The Real Blocker
Cladding remediation pulls in residents, RTMs, managing agents, consultants and contractors. With that many parties involved, it's easy for accountability to blur and for projects to stall while everyone waits for someone else to take the lead.
This was the driving force behind the founding of Archway FM back in 2020: to act as a single, director-led point of coordination across the entire process, so clients always know exactly who's responsible and ensure nothing gets lost between teams.
What Actually Slows Funding Applications Down?
Grant funding is available through the Cladding Safety Scheme so leaseholders aren't left to cover remediation costs themselves. However, the application process catches many applicants off guard. It requires detailed technical information, and freeholders & RTM directors rarely have the capacity or know-how to carry these documents out on top of their day jobs.
As the piece sets out, it's usually incomplete applications (not eligibility) that cause the most delays. The practical takeaway for anyone managing a building: start gathering plans and documentation early, and bring in an experienced partner before gaps become hold-ups.
Reducing Pressure on FM Teams
Facilities & property management teams are frequently handed cladding remediation processes to sort on top of an already full remit, without the specialist background to manage it. Our approach at Archway FM is to get involved early and stay involved. We manage resident communications and on-site coordination throughout; we don't just hand over a report and step back.
Want To Know More?
You can read the full feature here: Government Business, issue 33.4
If you're managing a building and are unsure where it stands, our team is happy to talk it through. Just contact us here, or alternatively learn more about our services here.