Angela Rayner rules out rent controls in England
UK Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has ruled out implementing rent controls in England, stating that current legislation is already providing sufficient support for renters. She noted that previous attempts at rent freezes in other parts of the UK did not effectively lower rental costs.
Why it matters
This decision clarifies the government's housing policy direction, signaling a preference for regulatory reform over price caps to address the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Image source, Getty Images By James Gregory Political reporter Published 23 minutes ago Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has said Prime Minister Andy Burnham is not looking at bringing in rent controls in England.
She told BBC Breakfast that changes made through the Renters' Rights Act, which came into effect in May, were "already having a significant impact on the market".
She added that controls which had been implemented in some areas of the UK over the past few years had not "necessarily brought rents down".
In 2023 when he was the mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham called for freezes to private sector rents until the cost of living crisis was over.
But Rayner told the BBC on Friday: "I don't think that rent freezes, rent controls, is a way forward at the moment.
"Three years ago, Andy called for that because there was a significant crisis in the rental market.
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