Around a third of landlords say that they would sell some or all of the properties they rent out if rent controls are brought in, a report has found.
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), which conducted 799 interviews, has warned the government that rent controls would be detrimental to rental supply, with recent analysis from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stating that there is “no clear evidence that rent controls have led to lower rents” and that they seem to be “associated with lower housing supply”.
When asked about rent controls, Matthew Pennycook, Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said last week that the government “does not support the introduction of rent controls”.
“We have made clear that we intend to use the Renters’ Rights Bill to provide tenants with greater protections against unreasonable within-tenancy rent increases,” he noted.
In the King’s Speech, King Charles said that the Renters’ Rights Bill would “give more rights to people renting their homes, including putting an end to unfair no-fault evictions, and reforming grounds for possession”.
Tenant demand remains strong
Tenant demand has also continued to stay strong, the NRLA said, with 82% of landlords in England and Wales reporting strong tenant demand.
Demand is strongest in the South West, followed by the South East, the East of England and the East Midlands.
The North East had the lowest levels of tenant demand, with only 68% of landlords describing it as strong.
Looking ahead, around 10% said they planned to buy new homes to rent out, whereas a third planned to sell over the same period.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, said: “Whichever way you look at it, there are more renters looking for a place to live than there are homes available.
“Ultimately rent controls would be a disaster for tenants. All they would do is choke off supply further, undermining what little choice tenants currently have when looking for somewhere to live.
“Housing is expensive because we don’t have enough of every type of property, be it for owner-occupation, social rent or private rent. The only way to solve this crisis is to boost supply right across the board.”
Anna is currently the deputy editor for Mortgage Solutions and editor for Specialist Lending Solutions. She has worked as a journalist since 2019, having secured her Gold Standard NCTJ diploma from News Associates in a fast-track six-month course.
She started her career as a report at specialist publication The Insurance Insider covering a wide range of areas before joining Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions in 2021.
In her role, she helps put together and structure the news agenda for the day and writes up press releases, reports, interviews, analyses and exclusives across both titles. She also commissions blogs for Specialist Lending Solutions and hosts online masterclasses and in-person events across the business.
She has been shortlisted for three journalism awards, which include BIBA Journalist and Media Awards Scoop of Year Award in 2020, Headline Money Mortgage Journalist of the Year Award (B2B) in 2022 and 2023.
Prior to being a journalist, Anna worked in ecommerce across Snow + Rock, Cycle Surgery and Runners Need websites, and before that worked at specialist financial PR firm Rostrum.
In her spare time, Anna enjoys reading, seeing live music, and cooking for friends and family. When she gets a chance, she also enjoys hiking, skiing and indoor rock climbing.
