Burnley and Pendle homeowners facing devastating debts following SSB Law collapse make heartfelt plea to the Government ahead of Parliament lobby

By Laura Longworth
Published 9th May 2024, 12:04 BST
Updated 9th May 2024, 12:04 BST
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A Burnley woman, who co-leads a group for victims of the cavity wall insulation scandal, has made a heartfelt plea to the Government.

Debra Sofia Magdalene will be among eight Burnley victims who will travel to London next Tuesday to share their heart-breaking stories with MPs. Also among those speaking out is Christian Lofthouse who blames the stress of the situation for his dad Ian’s death last week.

The homeowners face devastating legal debts of up to tens of thousands after signing with SSB Law - which went bust in January - for “no-win, no-fee” compensation claims over defective cavity wall insulation (CWI) that led to mould, damp and other damage in their homes. They have received the bills despite assurances throughout their case that they would not pay anything.

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As the scandal began with a government CWI scheme gone wrong, the victims will call on ministers to support those impacted.

Burnley woman Debra Sofia Magdalene, who co-leads a group for victims of the cavity wall insulation scandal following SSB Law's collapse.Burnley woman Debra Sofia Magdalene, who co-leads a group for victims of the cavity wall insulation scandal following SSB Law's collapse.
Burnley woman Debra Sofia Magdalene, who co-leads a group for victims of the cavity wall insulation scandal following SSB Law's collapse.

Debra said: “Tragically, one life has been lost due to this scandal. This is one too many.

"Talking isn't enough – what we demand is swift and decisive action.”

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Up to 1,400 people are believed to be affected by the national CWI scandal. But victims warn that the future could be 10,000 times worse if lessons are not learnt and plans are not put in place to protect homeowners, given that nearly 15 million (14.8m.) properties were retrofitted with cavity wall insulation sponsored by the Government by 2023.

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Burnley woman Debra Sofia Magdalene, who co-leads a group for victims of the cavity wall insulation scandal following SSB Law's collapse.Burnley woman Debra Sofia Magdalene, who co-leads a group for victims of the cavity wall insulation scandal following SSB Law's collapse.
Burnley woman Debra Sofia Magdalene, who co-leads a group for victims of the cavity wall insulation scandal following SSB Law's collapse.

“We want to influence the Government to put an immediate plan in place to rectify the damage caused to homes through their grant schemes. Comprehensive regulation is imperative for the entire cavity wall industry, including extraction companies. The Government must assume responsibility for managing warranties, which are currently totally inadequate.

“There’s an unacceptably high failure rate of cavity wall insulation installations. The Government must heed the lessons from past failures before expanding their retrofit programme. Failure to do so will condemn millions of people to the same fate.”

The victims also plan to protest outside Parliament before the lobby.

To support them, please sign the following petition, which calls for government support: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/658004

Related topics:GovernmentBurnleyParliamentPendle

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