Our sincere condolences go out to all those affected by the shocking fire in London.

The tragic events at Grenfell Tower have highlighted the importance of our longstanding existing fire safety and inspection processes. It also reflects the importance of the substantial investment we have made in our homes to ensure they are safe and secure.

We take our responsibilities as a landlord very seriously, especially in the area of fire safety. This has resulted in the considerable additional investment across all of our flat blocks to ensure the fabric of the building complies with Building Regulations, which incorporates fire safety standards.

None of the cladding systems used by the Trust are the type used at Grenfell Tower.

Churchill Mansions, our only high rise block of flats, had external cladding fitted during the 1990s. Tests recently undertaken by Halton Housing indicate the materials used provide excellent fire retardant properties.

Additional cladding and insulation works undertaken at all other locations have used fire retardant materials which fully comply with Building Regulations.

In response to concerns raised by some customers who have contacted us directly, we make no excuse for having a zero tolerance approach to items left in our communal areas. All these areas are cleaned on a weekly basis and inspected, with any repairs completed as quickly as possible.

All fly tipping is usually dealt with by our Environmental Services Team within 24 hours.

We do not intend to wait for the outcome from any Inquiry or new Fire/ Building Regulations to trigger any works required to meet our responsibilities as a responsible landlord.

Where any customers are raising concerns we always listen and act. They often spot the dangers before we can. If any customers have any concerns regarding fire safety they should contact Halton Housing immediately.