The general election may be “the last chance” to fix the UK’s “broken renting system”, housing organisations have warned as they called on party leaders to come up with bolder solutions to the crisis.
In an open letter to Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, groups representing tenants said thousands more people “face homelessness, poverty and exploitation” unless a “serious policy offer” is put on the table.
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It comes as one renter told Sky News how he has been priced out of his home following a 40% increase in rent – despite the flat having “an excessive mould issue”.
The groups, including the New Economics Foundation (NEF) and Generation Rent, want all party leaders to commit to rent controls, a full ban on no-fault evictions and greater investment in social housing.
In the letter, shared exclusively with Sky News, they said: “As organisations representing and working with tens of thousands of private renters across the UK, we are warning the next government that the housing emergency is set to deepen unless major action is taken as part of a serious housing policy offer.
“This could be the last chance to fix our broken renting system before countless more renters face homelessness, poverty and exploitation. “
Average UK rents have been increasing well above average wage rises in recent years, with Londoners facing cumulative increases of over 31% since 2021 and similar rises in other parts of England and Wales.
‘Priced out of my home’
For Michele Tellarini, who was “priced out” of his two-bed flat in…
