The Mayor of London has come out firmly in favour of our campaign to end unfair evictions - and has pushed the government to give him powers to bring in rent controls in the capital.
He was elected in 2016 on a pledge to shake up London's private rented sector, and now, after a long consultation period, Sadiq Khan has unveiled his proposals.
In a "blueprint" for private renting, the Mayor calls on the government for:
- Abolition of Section 21 and the creation of open-ended tenancies
- A notice period of 4 months for landlords to end a tenancy
- Sufficient support for private renters through the welfare system and legal aid
- Funding for more social housing
- A register of landlords to help monitor the rental market and improve enforcement of standards
- Powers to establish a London Private Rent Commission to design and implement a system to reduce rents and keep them affordable
- Interim measures to stabilise rents
He has adopted Generation Rent's calls for a relocation payment for tenants who lose their home through no fault of their own, and better tenancy sustainment support to prevent evictions in the first place.
The demands for powers over rent control come in a week in which the English Housing Survey revealed that 3 in 10 private renters find it difficult to pay rent, and Pricewaterhouse Coopers reported that public sector workers in London are struggling to afford a home.
Renters need urgency and ambition from our politicians - and with today's announcement Sadiq Khan has gone further than any of his peers.
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