Sadiq Khan

Sadiq Khan calls for independent commissioner for social housing residents



Sadiq Khan has called on Theresa May to ensure that the voices of residents are at the heart of future decision making about social housing following the Grenfell Tower fire.


The mayor of London has proposed that the prime minister appoints a commissioner for social housing residents, which he believes should be independent of government with the remit to act as a watchdog.

A new commissioner is just one of a number of proposals Mr Khan will begin consultation on when he publishes his draft London Housing Strategy later this month.

“I welcomed the government’s decision to establish the Grenfell public inquiry, but I have been clear that the terms of reference are not as broad as I and many residents would have liked.

“It is crucial that social housing residents are able to have confidence that all the factors which led to the fire and the lacklustre response will be identified and addressed quickly and independently.”

Paul Hackett, chief executive of Optivo, a large housing association, said he had seen the enormous benefits of engaging with residents.

“Involving residents in service design and the governance of the organisation has not only helped improve customer satisfaction, it's also helped reduce costs.

“Residents are experts at identifying areas where landlords are over or under serving.

“Residents have worked with us to process-map and streamline services.

“This includes helping us on our journey to customer self-service.”



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