"The ability of landlords to raise rents year on year is the crisis, and that’s why we are calling on the government to bring in rent control legislation to take real action to address a spiralling situation"
- Isaac Rose - Greater Manchester Tenants Union
A coalition of 20 housing charities, unions, and grassroots groups is calling on mayors across England to press the government for powers to introduce rent controls as part of the planned 2025 expansion of devolution.
The alliance, which includes national and local organisations, has written to mayors in seven combined authorities urging them to support devolved rent regulation powers. Members of the coalition are gathering outside the Housing 2025 conference in Manchester today (Tuesday, 24 June) to protest what they describe as the overrepresentation of private developers at the event.
Groups involved in the protest include the New Economics Foundation (NEF), ACORN, and Medact at the national level, alongside local organisations such as the Greater Manchester Tenants Union, the London Renters Union, Food and Solidarity in Newcastle, and Big Power for Little London in Maltby, Rotherham.
The alliance has highlighted rent affordability issues across the constituencies of the mayors in attendance. According to the group, private renters in England are spending an average of 32.4% of their income on rent. In Greater Manchester, this figure stands at 31.4%, with renters in Manchester itself paying 45.6% on average. London tenants face higher rates, spending between 39.8% and 57.2% of their income on rent, while in South Yorkshire, the average is 22%, increasing to 26.9% in Sheffield.
“Each month we see countless cases of people’s lives being turned upside down by rent rises they can’t afford,” said Isaac Rose, organiser at the Greater Manchester Tenants Union. “Families pushed away from their neighbourhoods, parents forced to take up second jobs to feed their kids, individuals forced into homelessness when they can’t pay.
“The ability of landlords to raise rents year on year is the crisis, and that’s why we are calling on the government to bring in rent control legislation to take real action to address a spiralling situation.”
The coalition argues that the forthcoming English Devolution Bill, expected in parliament later this year, presents an opportunity to give local leaders more control over housing policy. They want rent control powers included in the bill, enabling mayors to respond to regional affordability pressures.
“Private rents have been allowed to spiral out of control by successive national governments who have prioritised the needs of landlords and private developers over renters,” explained Dr. Abi O’Connor, researcher at the New Economics Foundation (NEF). “But this is also a local issue, with certain areas of England facing particularly acute housing affordability crises, influenced by a variety of local factors.
“Mayors are best placed to understand the housing needs of local people, the national government should give them the powers they need to address the housing crisis in their areas.”
In addition to calling for local rent control powers, the alliance is urging the government to commit to a new programme of council housebuilding. They argue that increasing the supply of council homes is essential to addressing long-term affordability and providing accessible housing across the country.
