A First-Time Buyers Commission has been launched by Enfield Council, aimed at developing fresh and practical solutions to help people onto the housing ladder.
The Commission will meet for the first time on Thursday (29 January), bringing together political and industry expertise to address the growing barriers preventing first-time buyers from owning their own homes.
The Commission has been created in response to concerns that existing approaches have failed to deliver meaningful change for first-time buyers, with too many policies revisiting previous schemes without offering imaginative or effective alternatives.
The Commission is chaired by Chris Curtis MP, Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes North. Chris sits on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee and is Co-Chair of the Labour Growth Group, reflecting his experience and strong interest in housing policy and economic growth.*
Led by Enfield Council, with support from London homes developer Pocket Living, the Commission will gather evidence and make proposals aimed at tackling the main obstacles faced by first-time buyers.
Enfield residents know better than most how challenging it has become, with rising prices and outdated schemes leaving many without a realistic way onto the property ladder. This is pushing more local people out of London altogether.
Councillor Ayten Guzel, Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Too many local people who want nothing more than the chance to own their own home are hitting a brick wall. From high interest rates to tight borrowing limits, hefty deposit requirements to rigid affordability assessments, the barriers are more than just financial. For an entire generation, owning a home feels less like an achievable milestone and more like a far-off fantasy.
“This Commission is about restoring hope and giving first-time buyers a fair chance in today's housing market. By bringing together expertise from across the sector, we want to develop bold, practical solutions that will genuinely help first-time buyers get onto the housing ladder. Enfield is proud to be leading this work and pushing for the change that is urgently needed.”
The Chair, Chris Curtis MP said: "I’m delighted to chair Enfield Council’s First-Time Buyers Commission at a moment when home ownership is out of reach for too many young people and families. By bringing together voices from across politics and the housing sector, the Commission will focus on the real barriers first-time buyers face and the practical, deliverable reforms needed to help more people get a foot on the housing ladder."
Further details on the Commission’s work programme will be shared in due course.
The Commission aims to publish its final report in the Spring of 2026.
- *The full membership of the Commission is as follows:
- Chris Curtis – MP for Miltomn Keynes North
- Cllr Ayten Guzel – Cabinet Member for Housing, Enfield Council
- Paul Rickard – CEO of Pocket Living
- Jack Airey – Director for Housing and Infrastructure at Public First
- Bob Weston – Founder of Weston Homes
- Craig Carson – Regional Director for Barratt London
- Baron Banner KC - Barrister
- Dan King - London Divisional Chair at Vistry Group
- Anna Clarke - Director of Policy and Public Affairs at The Housing Forum
- Danny Sutclifee - Partner at Red Loft Partnership
- Beth Rudolf - Director of Delivery at Conveyancing Association
- Cllr Grace Williams - Leader of Waltham Forest Council, Deputy Chair of London Councils and Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration
- David O’Leary - Executive Director of Homes Builders Federation
- Tom Copley - Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development
- Lord Bailey - Baron Bailey of Paddington