May 2019
Thank you very much for contacting me about calls for a new housing regulator. All read carefully and noted by me.
The Grenfell Tower fire was one of the worst tragedies this nation has experienced in many years. It is impossible to comprehend what those affected by the fire have had to deal with. The Government is determined to ensure that those affected continue to receive the support they both need and deserve, and that swift action is taken to improve housing safety.
Dame Hackitt conducted an extensive and comprehensive review of building regulations and fire safety, and the Government responded by taking forward all of the review's recommendations to create a stronger and more effective regulatory framework to improve building safety. The Government has committed to creating a Joint Regulators Group, which brings together Local Authority Building Control, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the Health and Safety Executive and the Local Government Association. The Joint Group will develop and pilot new approaches to regulation to deliver a stronger and better regime that benefits everyone, and drive culture change among regulators, the construction sector and building owners.
I welcome that a call for evidence on social housing regulation was held, which includes strengthening consumer regulation to ensure social housing tenants have access to high-quality housing and robust protections. I am confident that the Government will consider the merits of a new, separate housing regulator in its response to the consultation.
We must rebuild public trust in the system in tribute to those who lost their lives, the bereaved and the survivors. To this end, I am confident that the new regulatory regime put in place will ensure that a tragedy like the Grenfell fire never happens again.
Once again thank you for bringing your views to my attention.
With best wishes.
Kind regards,
Jonathan Lord
Member of Parliament for Woking