20th July 2026
Britain’s housing crisis is no longer a slow‑burning problem — it is a full‑scale emergency. Rents are soaring, homeownership is collapsing, and corporate landlords are quietly accumulating thousands of properties while ordinary families struggle to find a place to live.
If the new UK government is serious about tackling affordability, stability, and fairness, it must look beyond traditional British policy thinking and examine what is working elsewhere.
One of the most compelling examples comes from New York City, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani has taken a bold, unapologetic stance against housing speculation, corporate hoarding, and runaway rents. His approach is not ideological — it is practical. And crucially, many of his policies can be adapted for the UK and Scotland.
Below is a clear, forceful comparison — and a roadmap for how Burnham could adopt Mamdani‑style reforms.
Shared Philosophy: Homes Are for Living, Not Hoarding
Both Andy Burnham and Zohran Mamdani start from the same foundational belief:
Housing is a social necessity, not a financial asset class.
This principle shapes everything they do. It leads naturally to policies that challenge corporate accumulation, protect tenants, and prioritise affordability over speculation.
Corporate Ownership: Mamdani’s Crackdown vs Burnham’s Emerging Strategy
Zohran Mamdani’s approach
Corporate landlord regulation — Strict oversight of companies buying large numbers of units.
Vacancy penalties — Taxes on empty investment properties.
Anti‑monopoly acquisition rules — Limits on firms buying entire blocks.
Transparency requirements — Public reporting of large‑scale ownership.
Andy Burnham’s direction
Signals interest in progressive property ownership taxes.
Supports vacancy taxes and discouraging second‑home hoarding.
Frames multi‑property accumulation as a barrier to affordability.
Similarity:
Both leaders see corporate hoarding as a structural threat to housing stability.
Difference:
Mamdani already has these tools; Burnham is pushing the UK toward them.
Affordable Housing Supply: Mandates vs Planning Reform
Mamdani
Uses inclusionary zoning: developers must include affordable units.
Offers tax incentives for deeply affordable housing.
Renovates public housing at scale.
Burnham
Focuses on regional planning, brownfield development, and public‑sector partnerships.
Wants long‑term funding for social housing.
Similarity:
Both aim to increase affordable supply.
Difference:
NYC uses zoning mandates; Burnham relies more on planning reform and investment.
Tenant Protections: Strong vs Strengthening
Mamdani
Rent stabilisation.
Strict eviction rules.
Legal aid for tenants.
Anti‑harassment laws.
Burnham
Supports stronger renter protections.
Advocates fair rent practices.
Frames renting as a long‑term reality for families.
Similarity:
Both prioritise renter stability.
Which Mamdani Policies Could Be Realistically Adopted in the UK?
Here are the most transferable policies, each beginning with a Guided Link:
Vacancy taxes — Already used in NYC; could be introduced UK‑wide.
Progressive property ownership tax — Higher rates for companies owning 10, 50, or 100+ units.
Anti‑monopoly acquisition levy — Extra tax when firms buy additional units in concentrated areas.
Transparency rules — Mandatory reporting of large‑scale ownership.
Inclusionary zoning — Could be adapted for English cities with devolved planning powers.
These policies do not require radical constitutional change — they require political will.
How These Strategies Would Play Out in Scotland
Scotland has unique housing pressures: rural second‑home hoarding, holiday‑let saturation, and limited rental stock in cities like Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Mamdani‑style policies could have a powerful impact.
1. Vacancy taxes
Would reduce empty flats in Edinburgh and Glasgow and discourage speculative ownership.
2. Second‑home surcharges
Scotland already has these — but they could be increased for corporate owners.
3. Anti‑monopoly rules
Would prevent firms from buying entire blocks in cities or entire streets in rural areas.
4. Inclusionary zoning
Could ensure new developments in Inverness, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh include affordable units.
5. Ownership transparency
Would expose large‑scale corporate landlords and allow targeted regulation.
Non‑obvious insight:
Scotland’s devolved powers make it easier to adopt Mamdani‑style policies than England, especially around planning, taxation, and landlord regulation.
The UK Needs Mamdani‑Style Boldness
If Britain wants to fix its housing crisis, it must stop tinkering and start transforming. Zohran Mamdani’s New York strategy shows what happens when a government confronts corporate hoarding, speculation, and runaway rents with clarity and courage.
Andy Burnham has the opportunity to do the same — and Scotland, with its devolved powers, could move even faster.
Homes should be lived in, not hoarded.
Communities should be stable, not hollowed out.
Housing should be a right, not a portfolio.
The tools exist. The examples exist.
Now the UK must decide whether it has the will to use them.