The Government brought up rent controls in the A New Deal for Renting: Resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between Landlords and Tenants consultation due to concerns that landlords would use rent hikes to get rid of tenants if they lost ‘no-fault eviction’ powers.
ARLA Propertymark has long made the point political parties advocating rent control systems are failing to learn the lessons of history. The last time rent controls existed in this country, the private rented sector (PRS) shrunk from 90 per cent to seven per cent.
Khan has been an advocate of controls for some time, but currently has no authority to introduce them in the capital.
In his published landmark report, which sets out how the private rented sector in London should be transformed, he said:
'It is high time for private renting in London to be transformed - Londoners need fundamental change that is long overdue.
'Unlike other Mayors around the world, I have no powers over the private rented sector. That's why this landmark report sets out a detailed blueprint of what the Government must do to overhaul tenancy laws, and what powers City Hall needs from them to bring rents down.
'We have made important progress over the last three years by working closely with councils and renters - from 'naming and shaming' rogue landlords and banning letting agents’ fees for tenants, to being part of the successful campaign to scrap 'section 21'.
'But now we need the Government to play their part by making tenancy laws fit for purpose, and by enabling us to bring in the rent control Londoners so urgently need.'
ARLA Propertymark responded to the Government's A New Deal for Renting: Resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between Landlords and Tenants consultation stressing these issues.