Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, the Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner, said the government is not looking at introducing rent controls in England.
Rayner said: ‘I don’t think that rent freezes, rent controls, is a way forward at the moment.’
This comes despite Andy Burnham’s consistent advocacy for such measures, from as far back as his 2016 mayoral campaign.
Only yesterday, housing campaign group Generation Rent launched a nationwide postcard campaign calling on the government to introduce limits on how much landlords can increase rents in England.
The campaign encourages private renters to send a physical postcard to Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, sharing their experiences of rising housing costs and urging ministers to bring in rent controls.
Responding to Rayner’s appearance on the BBC, Holly Williamson, Chief Executive of Generation Rent, said: ‘Homes are the foundations of our lives. The Renters’ Rights Act was a vital first step in addressing the power imbalance between tenants and landlords, but it does not go far enough to address the cost of rents.
‘High rents lock people in poverty, and mean children going to school hungry and families stuck living in temporary accommodation. A limit on rent increases would be a hugely impactful cost of living measure that places very little strain on Treasury budgets. On behalf of renters across England, I am very disappointed Angela Rayner is not considering it as part of the government’s cost of living focus, and we urge ministers to review the evidence as they develop their plans to tackle the affordability crisis.’
Generation Rent’s new campaign comes as many tenants struggle with the cost of housing, with more than a third of private renters currently living in poverty. The group argues that limits on annual rent increases would provide greater financial security for millions of households, particularly as inflationary pressures are expected to continue.
England has not had widespread rent controls since 1988 and Generation Rent have calculated that, since then, average private rents have increased by around 1,200%. To illustrate the scale of those increases, the organisation says that if grocery prices had risen at the same rate, a basic 10-item food shop would now cost almost £120 – more than five times its current price.
The campaign also highlights government spending on housing support. Generation Rent says around £70 billion in public money was paid to private landlords through housing benefits and other support between 2021 and 2026, arguing that stronger protections for tenants could help reduce pressure on both renters and public finances.
Also voicing disappointment was Zack Polanski who observed: ‘By ruling out rent controls, this new Labour Government are already demonstrating that they have no interests in supporting struggling people in this country – but will always back the interests of the powerful and wealthy.’
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