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Housing Secretary Angela Rayner recently clarified that Prime Minister Andy Burnham has no plans to introduce rent controls across England. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she highlighted the effectiveness of the Renters’ Rights Act, which came into force in May, noting that it has already made a substantial impact on the rental market. Rayner also pointed out that where rent controls have been applied in some UK regions, they have not necessarily succeeded in lowering rents.
Back in 2023, during his tenure as mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham advocated for freezes on private sector rents to help alleviate the cost of living crisis. However, Rayner emphasized that while rent controls might have seemed appropriate three years ago due to a rental market crisis, the current approach focuses on empowering tenants through legislation like the Renters’ Rights Act. This act has introduced greater security for renters by banning fixed-term tenancies, making eviction processes more difficult for landlords, and limiting rent increases to once a year based on the property’s open market rent.
Temporary rent controls were first introduced in Scotland in October 2022 but were allowed to lapse last year. New legislation, expected by 2027, will permit Scottish ministers to designate certain areas as rent control zones, where councils can restrict rent hikes on some properties to a maximum of 6%. In England, Green Party leader Zack Polanski has been vocal about his support for rent controls on all rental properties. In response to Rayner’s remarks, he criticized Burnham on social media for lacking decisive action, calling him “continuity Starmer” and accusing the prime minister of merely talking instead of making meaningful changes. Meanwhile, London’s mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, continues to advocate for government-imposed rent caps.
In addition to the housing market discussions, Rayner addressed the government’s ambitious target of building 1.5 million new homes by 2029. She acknowledged to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that rising construction costs have made the goal increasingly difficult to achieve but insisted that the target remains firm and that she remains determined to meet it. During his campaign to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister, Burnham pledged to launch the largest council house building initiative in decades and has expressed a desire to reform property taxes, including stamp duty and council tax, though specific proposals have yet to be detailed. His early actions as prime minister have focused on easing the cost of living, with measures such as reducing VAT on household energy bills starting in October and reintroducing a £2 bus fare cap across England (excluding London) from January 2027
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