There is a feud between the private landlords and Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, after they weren’t invited to attend an emergency summit that he called, in regards to the rents in the city. It was called by him, after a poll came out, indicating that 40% of Londoners were afraid they could not pay the rent, in the upcoming six months. Here is a closer look at the ongoing situation. 

A Difference in Opinions

Did the mayor of London simply not want to hear what landlords had to say about the situation? It may be the case, since their opinions differ a lot on the current issue. Whereas the mayor is calling for a two-year rent freeze, the other party is saying that what he needs to do, is to focus on creating new homes, so that prices can go down naturally, or at least stabilize by themselves. Will it be a winter where removal companies in Midlands can’t keep up with the workload, as tenants move to a northern location, in order to find a place to live at a lower monthly cost? It seems like it very well could be, especially since the rent there is about £1,300 less per month. 

Caused by the War, Inflation and the Sanitary Crisis

This situation is caused by the high-rising cost of energy, but also by the global inflation that keeps increasing in the UK, for months now. A situation that is partly due to the war in Ukraine, but that started to develop when governments worldwide decided on lockdown periods, to protect their citizens against the coronavirus. This is when production got cut, which saw a decrease in the offer. That was followed by a social crisis. And now, the cost of everything is increasing rapidly, having tenants in the London region wondering how they can meet all their financial responsibilities, especially paying their rent, which, in average, costs £2,343 a month in London.

The National Residential Landlords Association ask Why They are Left Out of the Process

The reaction of the NRLA came quickly. It said that it was “disappointed in the extreme, that the Mayor of London feels he can solve the challenges faced in the capital’s rental market without any input from those who actually provide the homes.” For them, the reality is evident: There are simply not enough houses being built to meet the demand of the market. However, Sadik Khan, does not contest that fact. He recognizes that this is a problem, which will only increase in the months and years to come, since houses cannot be build fast enough to meet that demand. 

In fact, Khan said, that he was worried about young adults, since they won’t be able to meet the cost of living in the London region. It would seem to be obvious, when you look at the numbers. The average rent in London is currently at £2,343 a month. That is £1,300 more than in East Midlands, which is why, it makes it possible that tenants will move there, sooner than later.