Housing Secretary Angela Rayner says Prime Minister Andy Burnham is not looking at bringing in rent controls in England.
She told the BBC over the weekend that changes made through the Renters Rights Act, which came into effect in May, were “already having a significant impact on the market”.
And she made it clear that controls which had been implemented in some areas of the UK over trecent years had not “necessarily brought rents down”.
In 2023 when he was the mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham called for freezes to private sector rents until the cost of living crisis was over.
He has also backed calls by London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan for the power to impose controls.
But Rayner told the BBC: “I don’t think that rent freezes, rent controls, is a way forward at the moment. Three years ago, Andy called for that because there was a significant crisis in the rental market.
“We implemented between then [and now] the Renters Rights Act which is giving renters more power and control.”
Temporary rent controls were introduced in Scotland in October 2022 but expired last year. Under new legislation, ministers in the Scottish Parliament will be able to designate certain places in Scotland as rent control areas – expected to come in by 2027.
Councils will be able to cap rent increases on some properties at a maximum of 6%.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has said he wants to see rent controls brought in for private and social rented property in England.
He has nicknamed Burnham “continuity Starmer”, posting on X over the weekend: “The new prime minister talks a lot of about helping with the cost of living crisis. This is the one single measure that would help the most and save billions. All talk.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today