Morning Briefing: Sadiq Khan considers rent controls

In the news

In a letter to MP Karen Buck, seen by The Guardian, the mayor of London said it was necessary to adopt a “strategic approach to rent stabilisation and control”.

He added that the argument for capping rent increases at inflation is “overwhelming”, and the paper reported he is also considering scrapping ‘no fault’ evictions.

At the same time, a story in The Times appears to suggest that ‘pay to stay’ proposals are still on the table for the government.

Citing the case of Labour MP Kate Osamor, who lives in a council home, the paper quotes a government source as saying the government could still take action to force higher-earning social tenants to pay higher rents.

The Guardian is continuing its coverage of the ongoing debate around leasehold ownership, with the government’s official advisor on law reform weighing in.

In a consultation, the Law Commission recommended that commonhold – a model under which residents in a building jointly own and manage it – become more widely available.

Meanwhile, the housing charity Shelter has shown an analysis to HuffPost UK, revealing that house builders have used ‘permitted development rights’ to avoid building 10,340 affordable homes over the past three years in England.

Through the loophole, it is not necessary to provide affordable housing when converting non-residential buildings like offices into homes. Similar figures were cited last month by the Local Government Association.

Elsewhere, the Universal Credit battle continues, with the BBC reporting warnings from the MP for Kensington, Emma Dent Coad. She says that this week’s launch in the area could leave Grenfell survivors without income at Christmas.

The scheme is due to come to North Kensington on Wednesday, but first payments will take five weeks to come through, pushing the date back after Christmas.

Homelessness is of a particular interest to the media at the moment given the time of year, and the Manchester Evening News carries a special report on the issue.

It describes in detail the “Victorian squalor” faced by homeless children in Manchester, from fleas and rats to drug dealers.

The BBC questions whether one-person micro-homes are a solution or if the homes are in fact a failure to solve their problems.

On social media

Much reading these days of #LondonPlan with minor suggested changes. This is still my fave minor change pic.twitter.com/HCWyd7QpST

— Michael Edwards (@michaellondonsf)

Much reading these days of #LondonPlan with minor suggested changes. This is still my fave minor change pic.twitter.com/HCWyd7QpST

— Michael Edwards (@michaellondonsf) December 9, 2018

What’s on

• Lawyers for the London Fire Brigade and Grenfell survivors will today make closing statements to phase one of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
• Though today in parliament will focus on the Brexit debate, James Brokenshire will also take oral questions from MPs, and the housing select committee will hear evidence on leasehold reform.