Tenants to get new charter in wake of Grenfell Tower tragedy

Consultation to take place on mandatory smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Tenants in social housing are to get a new charter setting out what they can expect from their landlords in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.  

But smoke and carbon monoxide alarms will not yet become mandatory in all rental properties, despite calls from campaigners, with ministers instead announcing a consultation on the issue.  

Ministers say the reforms will deliver on a commitment they made to the Grenfell community “that never again would the voices of residents go unheard".

Under the charter tenants can expect to be safe in their home and to know how their landlord performs in areas like repairs, complaints and safety, the government says.  

There will also be a pledge that complaints should be dealt with swiftly and fairly, and that tenants should be treated with respect.  

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said that the Social Housing White Paper had been created with the views of victims of the fatal 2017 Grenfell fire in mind.  

Robert Jenrick, the housing secretary, said the reforms would give social housing residents "a much stronger voice".

He added: "I want to see social housing tenants empowered by a regulatory regime and a culture of transparency, accountability, decency and public service befitting of the best intentions and deep roots of social housing in this country."

The National Housing Federation said the reforms marked “an important and welcome milestone in the country’s response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy” and said they looked forward to seeing the details.