Sadiq Khan seeks rent control powers over London landlords

Sadiq Khan is pushing the Labour government to give him the power to impose rent controls in the capital.

The Telegraph claims that if given the go-ahead, the Mayor plans to set up a commission to create rent control plans that are tailored to London.

Parliament would be required to pass laws giving him the authority to control the prices set by landlords.

Calling for the power to freeze rents for years

A government spokesman and a spokesman for Mr Khan told the Telegraph there were “no plans whatsoever” to devolve rent control powers.

This is despite rent controls being one of Mr Khan’s election pledges for the Mayoral elections and he urged the previous government to give him the authority to limit rent rises.

Just before the Mayoral elections, Mr Khan said: “I’ve been calling for the power to freeze rents in the capital for years, but the government has refused.”

Rent controls are necessary

Last year Mr Khan repeated calls for an immediate two-year rent freeze and a ban on section 21 evictions in London.

Figures released by City Hall last year claimed that if the Mayor’s proposed two-year rent freeze were implemented renters in London would save £3,374 on average over the period.

Mr Khan said: “These figures reveal the clearest picture yet of why rent controls are so necessary.”

Keir Starmer also told voters during the general election campaign that: “there must be a scheme in place to stop rents going up.”

Not wasting everyone’s time with populist nonsense

Neil Garratt, leader of City Hall Conservatives, told the Telegraph that rent controls are not the solution to solve the housing crisis.

He said: “The most effective way to make renting and buying a home in London more affordable is by building more affordable homes.

“Given that Sadiq Khan only managed to build 71 affordable homes across the whole of London in the last quarter, his time would be far better spent building homes for Londoners – not wasting everyone’s time with populist nonsense like rent controls, which have been a disaster everywhere they have been tried.”

In Scotland, rent controls have proven to be a disaster with average rents surging by 14.3%.

The Scottish government has now declared a housing emergency and according to the Scottish Association of Landlords, 22,000 homes have been lost from the private rented sector in the last year.

Lack of supply is fuelling housing crisis

A spokesman for Mr Khan told the Telegraph: “There have been no discussions between Sadiq’s team and the new government about introducing rent controls.”

A government spokesman added to the Evening Standard: “This government has no plans whatsoever to devolve rent control powers. Fixing Britain’s housing crisis is one of our top priorities, and giving struggling renters more rights and security is an important issue for this government, but there have been no conversations with the Mayor of London about introducing rent controls.”

“Lack of supply is fuelling the housing crisis, and we are taking action to boost housebuilding. We will work closely with the Mayor and Boroughs so we can increase housing delivery in London.”

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