How to end speculation and squalor in housing

‘All rented and owner-occupied homes could be compulsory inspected yearly for safety issues, as all cars have been for decades,’ writes Philip Home.Ann Pettifor (Journal, 27 January) identifies several important strategies for solving London’s crisis of “unreal estate”, but omits one that is vital: developing regional economies.By the standards of most European nations, Britain’s economy is incredibly concentrated in a single conurbation.