Labour's shadow housing secretary, Lisa Nandy, has rejected the idea of rent controls, describing them as a 'sticking plaster' that could leave some people homeless. Speaking at a housing conference in Manchester, she said the policy would 'almost certainly' result in increased evictions and warned against short-term fixes.
This marks a shift from her position last autumn, when she expressed interest in allowing local mayors to freeze rents over winter. Labour mayors including Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham have previously called for rent freezes, but Nandy now argues that with housebuilding falling and landlords exiting the market, controls would worsen the crisis.
The National Residential Landlords Association welcomed the stance, stating rent controls would not address the rental supply crisis. However, campaign group Generation Rent urged a temporary freeze to help tenants amid rising costs, with director Ben Twomey calling for government intervention to prevent tenants bearing the brunt of landlords' rising interest bills.
Official figures show private rents in the UK rose by 5% in the 12 months to May, the highest increase on record. In Scotland, a six-month rent freeze ended in April, but most increases remain capped at 3% for the next six months. The Welsh government is considering restrictions, while the English government opposes controls, arguing they lead to declining standards and lack of investment.
