Mayor calls for rent freeze as Londoners struggle to cover bills

London’s housing crisis is coming to a head as a YouGov survey has found 40% of Londoners are likely to struggle to cover rent in the next six months.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, called an emergency meeting on the matter yesterday to bring together private renters, charities, advocacy groups and politicians to tackle rising rents.

Khan has repeated calls for the government to impose a two-year rent freeze to protect renters, as average rents have reached £2,343 a month – more than double other parts of the UK.

The Mayor says ministers should implement renters reform legislation proposed under Boris Johnson’s government, as renters face insecure tenancies and unsafe homes.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘London’s private renters are facing a triple whammy with rising rents, bills, and the cost of household essentials putting a major strain on their finances. Ministers must take this crisis seriously and act now.

‘There is no time to waste so we have come together today to speak with one voice. Our demands to ministers are simple: implement your long-promised renters reform legislation and take action now to make rents more affordable for Londoners, using all powers at the government’s disposal.

‘As we continue working to build a better, fairer London for everyone, it’s vital that we stand up for renters in our city and find common ground on the action that needs to be taken to support them through the cost of living crisis, pay their rent and keep their homes.’

On average Londoners pay around 40% of their income on rent, as asking rents for new rentals are growing faster than anywhere else in the country, up 16% from last year.

A rent freeze could save renters around £2,988, saving £881 in the first year alone, vital for struggling households facing the rising cost of living.

Scotland recently imposed a rent-freeze, with private landlords and letting agencies unable to raise their rents until at least March 31 2023.

Section 21 evictions are also a major worry for renters, with landlords able to evict tenants with just two months’ notice and without a reason for doing so.

Khan is calling for the notice periods of private rental evictions to be doubled to four months to allow tenants to build savings, access advice and pay off debts.

Photo by Alex Tai