London mayor accused of failing private tenants

Tuesday 26th June 2012

London mayor Boris Johnson has been accused of breaking his promises over housing, and doing nothing to tackle rent increases and rogue landlords.

Nicky Gavron, Labour housing spokesperson at the Greater London Authority, said that during the mayoral elections, Johnson had pledged to deliver on Shelter’s campaign promises – but after winning, confessed he would have to ‘look at the detail’.

Gavron said that Johnson “is going to continue to fail millions of Londoners living in the private rented sector”.

She said: “Rents rose 12% last year alone, complaints about rogue landlords and rip-off letting agents are increasing, and the Government’s welfare reforms will compound the pain.

“Shelter’s Homes for London provided some solution to these. A mayoral London-wide Letting Agency with fairer rents and securer longer-term tenancies that work for families, coupled with a drive to prosecute rogue landlords – these are not just good ideas, they are an essential minimum.

“Boris Johnson should pay attention. To date, his record on the private rented sector is worse than poor.”