Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has ruled out moves to introduce rent controls in England, telling the BBC that the government is not currently looking at the policy.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Rayner said measures introduced through the Renters' Rights Act, which came into effect in May, were already having a noticeable effect on the rental market. She also said rent controls used in some parts of the UK in recent years had not necessarily lowered rents.
Rayner said: “I don't think that rent freezes, rent controls, is a way forward at the moment.” She added that Andy Burnham had called for rent freezes three years ago because there had been a serious crisis in the rental market, but said the Renters' Rights Act had since given tenants more power and control.
In 2023, when he was mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham called for private rents to be frozen until the cost of living crisis had passed. The BBC reported that Rayner said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was not looking at bringing in rent controls in England.
Temporary rent controls were introduced in Scotland in October 2022 and expired last year. Under new legislation, ministers in Holyrood will be able to designate rent control areas, with the policy expected by 2027. Councils will be able to limit rent rises on some properties to a maximum of 6%.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski criticised Rayner’s comments and said rent controls would be the single measure that would help most with the cost of living. Jeremy Corbyn, who backed rent controls as Labour leader during the 2019 general election, described the announcement as “extremely disappointing” and said controls were needed immediately.
Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has also called for a cap. Gareth Bacon, the Conservatives’ shadow housing minister, said rent controls would be “disastrous” and argued they would reduce choice for tenants by driving landlords from the market.
The Renters' Rights Act was introduced to provide greater stability and security for the 11 million people renting privately. It bans fixed-term tenancies, makes evictions harder and restricts rent increases to once a year at the property’s open market rent.
Rayner was also questioned about the government’s target to build 1.5 million new homes by the end of the parliament in 2029. She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the target had become harder to meet, citing higher construction costs, but said she would keep it.
