Grenfell Tower fire: Borough called on to admit liability

Seventy-two people died as a result of the Grenfell Tower blaze

Dozens of Grenfell Tower fire survivors have called on a London borough to admit its "liability" for the blaze.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and its tenant management organisation (TMO) face nearly 1,000 claims over the disaster.

The council asked the High Court to pause the action but lawyers for the survivors said they would not engage with RBKC unless it admits liability.

However, the judge ruled the claims should be delayed for nine months.

Seventy-two people died as a result of the blaze, which was caused by an electrical fault with a fridge-freezer on 14 June 2017.

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RBKC and its TMO face nearly 1,000 High Court claims brought on behalf of the bereaved and survivors of the fire or their relatives.

Some 140 firefighters and police officers are also taking legal action against the borough, the TMO, London Fire Brigade, the Met Police and eight companies involved with the tower's refurbishment.

At a High Court hearing to manage the total of about 1,130 claims, the judge was asked to pause the action for nine months so the parties could try to settle the cases without the need for trials.

Leigh-Ann Mulcahy QC, representing RBKC and the TMO, said the delay would mean they could try to "pursue alternative forms of dispute resolution" in order to "avoid the additional trauma, delay and cost that will be inherent" in pursuing the litigation.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea face nearly 1,000 claims over the disaster

However, 88 of the claimants, who are all survivors of relatives of those killed, have said they will not take part in talks with the council until it admits liability.

Speaking on their behalf, Susan Rodway QC accused RBKC and the TMO of "seeking to avoid justice" and trying to prolong the proceedings despite "overwhelming evidence that condemns those landlords" having come out in the public inquiry into the fatal fire.

She added that the claimants had "already waited four years" and their suffering had been "aggravated and exacerbated by...the failure of their landlords simply to say sorry and it's our fault".

However, Judge Barbara Fontaine ruled that the claims should be put on hold for nine months and said she would give the reasons for her decision at a later date.