Simon Randall and Stephen Greenhalgh to champion fight against housing red tape

The Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has announced the appointment of Simon Randall CBE and Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh as Sector Champions to review red tape in the housing and construction sectors.

The review of regulations will consider what is unnecessary or disproportionate. The Government has already made a start abolishing Home Information Packs, reducing burdens on short-term holiday lets, removing blanket regulation on Houses of Multiple Occupation that would have reduced choice for tenants, and introduced new freedoms and flexibilities for social landlords via the Localism Act.

Simon Randall CBE is a solicitor specialising in housing and also has a strong background in local government as a former councillor in Bromley and chairing the Broomleigh Housing Association. 

Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh is, of course, the Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council and is also successful entrepreneur and landlord.

Simon Randall said:

"The housing and construction sectors are arguably the most highly regulated in the UK. There is enormous scope for reducing red tape which could both increase and speed up the supply of private rented and social housing without in any way compromising on quality, security or sustainability. This will be the overall challenge for the sectors and I look forward to their suggestions for abolition or simplification of existing regulations."