The Labour Party says it will outlaw rental bidding wars if it wins the next General Election.

The party’s shadow housing minister, Matthew Pennycook, has told BBC Newsbeat that the practice “pits tenant against tenant” and leaves only one winner – the landlord.

“And so for all those tenants who miss out on a property as a result of bidding wars, they’re in a bad position.

“But even those who secure a property by that means, they’re often pushed to the financial limits of what they can afford.”

Pennycook tells Newsbeat that his party wants the UK to follow New Zealand’s lead, which banned bidding wars in 2021. A number of states in Australia have also done the same.

And it says it will seek to amend the Renters Reform Bill now going through Parliament.

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, told the BBC that bidding wars happen due to supply issues.

“You can’t go around banning everything, What I would say is we need to look at what’s forcing people to make these decisions.”

Other landlords who’ve spoken to Newsbeat say the rising cost of living and high mortgage rates mean bidding wars are a way to make sure they can afford to keep renting out their properties.

You can see a BBC News Online version of the Newsbeat story here.