Morning Briefing: Grenfell judge meets residents

In the news

Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the judge who will lead the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower disaster, faced an angry and widely reported meeting with residents yesterday. He was told they need “someone who’s real” to represent their interest, the BBC and several other outlets report.

One woman is reported to have said residents were unhappy that Sir Martin and his legal inquiry team did “not look like any of us”.

Elsewhere, the Beeb has emails from 2010 which show that fears over access for emergency vehicles were raised by residents with the council as early as 2010. Local residents made the point in an email to councillors when plans were announced for a car park was demolished to build a school.

On Channel 4 News there is a slightly odd report, which looks at Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation’s accounts and finds it spent millions on “management fees and interest charges”.

In other news, there is an excellent blog on the Financial Times this morning which considers why the UK housing market is slowing. It gives rather short shrift to claims about Brexit and stamp duty and points to another more likey cause: prices are too darn high.

“Unrealistic asking prices are why property remains stuck on agents’ books. Look in London’s three inner zones – supposedly the epicentre of the nation’s housing crisis – and it is not hard to find properties that have been on the market for a year or more,” writes Jonathan Eley.

On social media

Benefiting = code word for more overpriced homes that locals will never be able to afford #ukhousing t.co/dzGm3j1e5p

— Paul Williams (@HIP_Energy)

Benefiting = code word for more overpriced homes that locals will never be able to afford #ukhousing https://t.co/dzGm3j1e5p

— Paul Williams (@HIP_Energy) July 25, 2017

The #leaseholdscandal finally gaining some traction - but it’s been going on for decades... #ukhousing t.co/OOMqWvqloq

— secret agent (@theagentsdiary)

The #leaseholdscandal finally gaining some traction - but it's been going on for decades... #ukhousing https://t.co/OOMqWvqloq

— secret agent (@theagentsdiary) July 26, 2017

Definitely need more evidence based decision making in our industry - transparency & not guesswork. #nudge #behaviouralinsights #ukhousing t.co/NB4s6CKltw

— Anna O’Halloran (@AnnaEOHalloran)

Definitely need more evidence based decision making in our industry - transparency & not guesswork. #nudge #behaviouralinsights #ukhousing https://t.co/NB4s6CKltw

— Anna O'Halloran (@AnnaEOHalloran) July 26, 2017