Here's what to do if the cladding on your flat isn't up to standard.

Fire safety in tall buildings has become a complex issue since the disaster at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington.

The 24-storey block was clad in aluminium composite material or ACM which is now known to be dangerously combustible. 

Blocks with cladding need to be inspected to ensure they comply — a job which should be carried out by the managing agent or building owner.

In July the Government’s expert panel on fire safety said high pressure laminate, or HPL, cladding panels, often made from compressed wood and paper, could also be unsafe.

What are the most dangerous forms of cladding?

As well as ACM and HPL, the Government is concerned about Metal Composite Materials (MCM), claddingfaced with zinc, copper or steel.

And earlier this summer a block of flats in Barking was ravaged by fire. The timber cladding on its balconies was blamed for the rapid spread of the blaze.

How do I find out if my current home, or somewhere I am planning to buy or rent, is safe?

Rituparna Saha of the UK Cladding Action Group says the only way to be sure is to see a fire safety report carried out after December 2018 when the Government updated its advice on fire safety in tall buildings.