Generation Rent has yet again come out for rent control over the private sector - and wants it to be an election issue.
The group’s chief executive Ben Twomey claims many key workers are effectively priced out of the rental market in some big cities and says: “Just a few years ago we were clapping on our doorsteps every week for key workers. Now they risk being driven out of our city because of soaring rents.
“For communities to survive, local people must be able to stay healthy, receive an education, find a safe home to live in and purchase basic goods. But, if those working in vital jobs cannot afford to live in the area, everyone loses out.
“The current cost of renting crisis is devastating London’s communities. It is vital that England’s Metro Mayors have the power to slam the brakes on local rents and give our key workers the breathing space they need to live and work in their community. It is also vital that the mayor and the government build more affordable homes in the capital and increase how much social housing is available.”
Twomey - a former Labour candidate in a local police commissioner election - has in the past backed Labour London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s bid to win powers to control the private rental sector.
Now he wants all candidates in May’s elections to back the idea.
Generation Rent’s analysis of 15 key and essential worker roles show that no borough in Inner London is affordable for roles across education, healthcare, social care, construction, retail, commerce, and hospitality.
The group is calling on candidates for London Mayor to demand powers to control rents and commit to building many more social homes in the capital if they win in May.
And Twomey says a home is considered affordable if it costs 30 per cent or less of income.
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If you are a landlord to this guy, serve a section 21 now and if you are approached to let to him, you know what to do. It is not realistic or the obligation of landlords to subsidise tenancies. The Government are responsible for providing social housing not me
Shelter / Generation Rent Coalition, wants, wants, wants why not instead give something to Society you spongers.
They don't have anything to give. They have been bough up as being entitled to everything. Nothing is their fault. They don't read books anymore. They have Instagram and Tiktok to keep themselves busy. Universal Credit is there to help pay for all their needs such as they are.
Anyone noticed that the name Ben, seems to note incompetence in the sector....
Will generation rent also be asking for controls on costs to LL's such as mortgage interest rates, taxes and the increased costs due to increased regulation? what about the removal of LL's ability to deduct mortgage interest as a cost? These are the issues driving increasing rents. Add to this the number of LL selling up and leaving the market and the lack of new LL investment.
GR want to cap LL ability to raise rent, but make no mention of capping costs to LL's, they only see one side of the issue, please open your eyes and ears.
Only an idiot would still ask for rent controls when the damage done to tenants BY rent controls is staring them in the face! Highest rent rises in the UK & LLs leaving in droves.
Although Labour have said they are not looking at this, they also said they were spending billions on green tech 🤷♂️, so i still don’t trust them.
Simon, as we know Labour and Sir Kneel change their minds almost daily.
Labour will stick the knife in of that you can be sure
What is this Clown talking about now.
“Just a few years ago we were clapping on our doorsteps every week for key workers''
Would not clap them now except round the earhole, striking every week and 75,000 on the Pat n Mick with mental health issues....!
We remove our services (Property) then there is no one to put rent controls on you fool...
Agreed I wasn't clapping them, now they are on strike holding the country to ransom, they are not badly paid in fact I would say they are well paid plus gold plated pensions, no time for the whingers, do the job we pay you for
Rent controls and freezes are being withdrawn in Scotland from April but the damage to tenants has been done already with reduced availability even although market rents continued to rise all through the period during which they were in force.
Its been said before, but I'll say it again. To those who want rent controls - be careful what you wish for. Rent controls will not benefit tenants. Most rents will just go up to the maximum allowed, and stay there. Yes there might be a minority with rents that are too high, but rents will increase for the vast majority. Same as the deposits to be max 5 weeks rent rule, now all my deposits are 5 weeks rent, might have been less before.
Agreed and what has happened now is that every landlord will increase the rent annually so not to get too far out of bed with market rates. A huge swathe of tenants never had rent increases for years, now every single one of them will get it jacked up every single year.
I house several NHS workers in bills inclusive HMOs. Their rent is between 18% and 25% of their salaries. That includes gas, electric, water, Council Tax, broadband and TV licence.
Once they meet a partner there are 2 salaries to consider. I rent a 2 bedroom flat to a couple who both work for the NHS. The rent is just under 25% of their combined salaries.
I also rent a 4 bedroom house to a single mum who works part time as a nurse and receives a huge UC top up. She could work full time but would be barely any better off so why bother? Her rent is probably around 85% of what she actually physically earns but that's because she chooses to work part time.
Too cheap Jo
Do single mums have virgin births?
Why is there never a father around to avoid the taxpayers shelling out for years after his contribution lasting only a few seconds?
Oh you'll find a moron boy friend will move in the moment your back is turned Robert, one reason why I won't touch single mums as tenants
Andrew - the HMOs are market rent.
The 2 bed is maybe £200 below similar properties currently listed on Rightmove. Those properties seem to be sticking though so are maybe priced a bit high? When I first bought the property I had 3 different sets of tenants in less than 3 years. The current ones seem to be long term so no voids to factor in.
Robert - there is a father around. The kids spend half the week with him and he pays £300 a month child support. The eldest child is doing an apprenticeship and pays £80 a week rent to his mum, even though he spends at least half the week with his dad. She is on an incredibly cushy number but that's just the way UC works.
Jo mentions the properties sticking on Rightmove because possibly of the price. This really sums this argument up. Market forces will control the achievable price, not another round of being told what we can and can not do with our privately owned property.
Jo
I have no recent experience of DSS or UC claimants and hope I never will again.
My suspicions of why over 1 million job vacancies left unfilled when there are far more benefits claimants seem to be correct.
Your single mother is further evidence with working full time not worthwhile.
Benefits are far too high as work should ALWAYS pay more than benefits.
I just got rid of some UC claimants. Dreadful mould growing compensation seeking people. She was a lazy person. But with 4 kids (I think by 4 fathers looking at them), she had UC and a little bit of work. Hairdressing (so probably undeclared cash). Since going I can see the envelopes containing councils issuing parking penalties. Also I checked a return address on a envelope that appears to be the Student Loans Company. She's no student.... Just enrolling, claiming the loan and never even seeing a class. All handed out from out wonder money printing 'quantative easing' government....
Yes Robert as my wife tells me when I have a moan about the scroungers or start shouting at the TV it's the system that allows this to happen that's wrong
NHS forget it, when I had my hart op before Christmas I paid for it, best part of 50k all in, AXA insurance paid most, I wanted a proper job, as I've said before you get what you pay for in this life, would I house the NHS on the cheap? no way, and certainly not teachers can't stand them
No surprise here. Generation Rant eventually eventually won’t have anything to rant about as we will have sold up! They will fare worse with the Corporate big boys who will have a monopoly and thus dictate terms. They will just bat off all these ranters.
Every one of my rents are going up this year due to this sort of talk. Some are increasing substantially.
Well done generation rent, you have just made the lives harder for 39 families.
Little Ben Twomey will have a shock if his Labour friends win the election, if not before. 😉 Their attacks on the PRS is helping persuade landlords to sell up. You can sell in sux months maximum, but how long does it take to build replacement properties? 🤔 A lot longer than six months.
As for giving the Boy Ben Mark II notice, an excellent idea, 😂 mind you, he probably still lives with his mum. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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