Rayner Rules Out Rent Controls in England for 11 Million Renters as 1.5 Million Homes Target Hardens
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 24
Rayner Rules Out Rent Controls in England for 11 Million Renters as 1.5 Million Homes Target Hardens
2 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 24
Summary
Angela Rayner said the government is not considering rent controls in England, arguing the Renters' Rights Act that took effect in May is already reshaping the rental market.
The law covers 11 million private renters, bans fixed-term tenancies, makes evictions significantly harder and limits rent increases to once a year at open-market levels.
Rayner said rent freezes used in parts of the UK did not necessarily lower rents, distancing the government from Andy Burnham's 2023 call for a private-sector rent freeze during the cost-of-living crisis.
Pressure for caps remains from figures including London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Green Party leader Zack Polanski, even as Scotland's temporary controls introduced in October 2022 expired last year.
Rayner also said the government's goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2029 has become harder to meet because of rising construction costs, though she insisted the target remains in place.
With rent controls officially scrapped, what hidden loophole in the new Renters' Rights Act could still leave millions facing unaffordable housing costs?
Tenants win 71% of tribunal cases against unfair rent hikes, so why are thousands still silently paying the price instead of fighting back?
As construction lags and costs soar, can the government truly deliver 1.5 million homes by 2029 without triggering a massive developer bailout?