Sadiq Khan rejects social housing commissioner calls following Grenfell and Awaab Ishak tragedies

Sadiq Khan has confirmed there are “no plans” to appoint a social housing commissioner for London, despite repeated calls following Grenfell Tower and the death of Awaab Ishak.

The role was first proposed following a 2018 investigation by the London Assembly Housing Committee into the Grenfell Tower fire, in which 72 people tragically died in the blaze spread via the building’s flammable cladding.

The commissioner would be tasked with representing the interests of social renters, fighting for protection against poor housing conditions and for the availability of good-quality homes, amongst other concerns.

A decision was made against appointing a commissioner at the time, as it was deemed a London-specific position would have less impact on social housing than a national role. However, the committee carried out a further investigation in February this year, after further concerns were raised following the death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak from black mould in December 2020.

Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa was among those consulted, with the committee writing to the mayor on April 27 with seven recommendations to address some of the social housing issues in the capital.

As well as appointing a London commissioner, the recommendations include reviewing the extent of the social housing need in the city, looking at the potential impact of the 7% cap on social rent rises, and for the GLA to publish a list of all social housing providers stripped of their investment partner status or funding under the body’s Affordable Homes Programme 2021-26.

Ms Moema said: “Ensuring Londoners have access to safe, well-maintained housing must continue to be a priority for the mayor and the GLA.

“Throughout our investigation, we heard stories from tenants’ associations and activists about housing issues in London, and a regular theme was a lack of a voice for tenants across the city.

“This investigation is the second of its kind since 2018, and the same issues continue to cause significant stress on London’s social housing tenants. Guests spoke openly about the challenges they regularly face, and we firmly believe that a Social Housing Commissioner for London would make a significant difference.

“We encourage the mayor and the GLA to consider the recommendations within our letter, and I look forward to receiving a response on this so that we can help our constituents with their housing needs.”

‘No current plans’

A spokesperson for the mayor of London however told LondonWorld that Mr Khan is not considering creating the role of social housing commissioner, and that a national position remains the best option.

The spokesperson said: “There are no current plans to appoint a London social housing commissioner. Responsibility to improve the standard of existing social housing in London rests with the government, not the mayor.

“This is why he has repeatedly called on the government to find real solutions and push for higher standards in social housing, including appointing an independent national commissioner, who would sit on the board of the regulator, to ensure the voice of those living in social housing are heard by national policymakers.”

Recent City Hall analysis showed how £3.5bn is spent annually on rent in London on non-decent homes, out of £9bn nationally.

Mr Khan described the expenditure as a “scandal”, and called on further support from national government to support renters.