DISTRUST and dislike towards Grenfell Tower residents by landlords led to a failure to observe basic responsibilities, an inquiry report found today. 

The report into the fire, which claimed 72 lives, found that some occupants regarded tenant management as “an uncaring and bullying overlord” that “failed to take their concerns seriously.”

It said that management regarded some residents as “militant troublemakers” and that there was a “toxic atmosphere.”

It said that for management to have allowed the relationship to deteriorate to such an extent “reflects a serious failure on its part to observe basic responsibilities.”

It also said that management was “unduly concerned with reducing costs” of a refurbishment between 2012 and 2016 —  the period that flammable cladding was installed on the tower.

The local council’s oversight of the performance of Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation was described as “weak” and noted: “Fire safety was not subject to any key performance indicator.”

The report concluded that although some of the decisions taken to keep costs down during the refurbishment “were ultimately responsible for the tragedy,” it saw “no evidence that any of those responsible for them was aware of their potential consequences.”