Two years after the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower, bereaved, survivors and residents are growing increasingly frustrated that there has been no response to their demands for a new consumer regulator for social housing. They want the loss of their loved ones to be a catalyst for positive change. Yet we are still awaiting meaningful action from the government as to how it will ensure tenants in social housing are listened to, and how it will genuinely strengthen the regulation of their landlords. Theresa May’s speech at the Chartered Institute of Housing conference (Opinion, 27 June) spoke of a stronger consumer regulation regime, but we need more than this.
If the 9 million social tenants in England are to feel safe in their homes, and assured they’ll receive the standard of service to which they’re entitled, we need a tough new regulator to enforce consumer housing standards. Governments have responded to protect consumers in this way before, creating the Food Standards Agency after a series of high-profile food deaths, and the Financial Conduct Authority following financial scandals. Why should social tenants matter less? Tenants need to know that their wellbeing, health and safety will be protected, and standards rigorously enforced, by a regulator focused on working for them.
We call on the government to show social tenants that they matter and will no longer be ignored. When next steps for social housing are announced later this year, the government must go further than their initial proposals. We expect nothing less than a new consumer regulator.
Polly Neate CEO, Shelter
Ed Daffarn Grenfell United
Rev Dr Mike Long Notting Hill Methodist Church
Jon Sparkes CEO, Crisis
Rick Henderson CEO, Homeless Link
Ryan Shorthouse Director, Bright Blue
Ed Miliband MP Labour, Doncaster North
Lord Jim O’Neill
Samia Badani Co-chair, Notting Dale Residents Advisory Board
Rob Gershon Social housing tenant activist
David Tovey Social housing tenant and international artist
Caroline Abrahams CEO, Age UK
Paul Farmer CEO, Mind
Miatta Fahnbulleh CEO, New Economics Foundation
Raji Hunjan CEO, Zacchaeus 2000 Trust
Jo Miller CEO, Doncaster Council
Professor Anne Power LSE Housing and Communities
Dr Stuart Hodkinson University of Leeds
Steve Hilditch The Campaign for Social Housing
Rev Paul Nicolson Taxpayers Against Poverty
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