The only UK political party that openly supports the introduction of rent controls in the private rented sector is the Green party, but recent polling suggests Westminster is out of step with the general public. According to a recent survey fewer than 10% of Britons oppose rent control, while almost 60% support the policy.
Critics warn that capping rents would drive professional landlords out of the rental market and push down standards. Meanwhile politicians are frightened to get on the wrong side of private landlords, who now control the vast swathes of the nation’s housing. Despite this, the government badly misread landlords over direct payment of housing benefit, so trying to cosy up to them now at the expense of the wishes of the electorate may prove costly at the ballot box.
Young people in their 20s have no collective memory of the risks associated with rent controls; they just want to see something done to address their generation’s housing crisis.
