The Generation Rent activist group is placing its hopes for pro-renter policies on newly-elected Metro Mayors, who will be elected on May 2.
In a statement over the weekend Generation Rent chief executive Ben Twomey – himself a former Labour election candidate – said: “The Metro Mayor elections are crucial for renters, with the winning candidates wielding significant power over the tenant experience in their area. We welcome policy proposals from all candidates that seek to genuinely improve renters’ lives and tackle the problems we face.
“Generation Rent welcomes promises in Sadiq Khan’s ‘New Deal for Renters’ – including continued calls for the devolution of powers to slam the brakes on rent rises, support for renters to get cash back from landlords who don’t follow the rules, and new investment to defend renters’ rights.
“Metro Mayor candidates must address the issues renters face head-on. Rent controls, especially in London, and licensing powers must be devolved, criminal and underperforming landlords must be held to account, and new genuinely affordable and social homes must be built and kept available for people who need them. It is only through decisive action that the crises that we face on a daily basis as renters can be tackled.”
Khan – who is standing for re-election in under a month from now – has yet again made an election pledge to argue for rent control powers to be given to him, should he win on May 2. Khan has consistently called for such powers, and has consistently been ignored by the government.
However, he believes he may have found a way of imposing rent controls by the back door through the introduction of what he calls ‘rent control homes’ – properties built in London from public funds and with rents capped in line with local areas’ key worker salaries.
Khan said on social media over the weekend: “I’m proud of how I’ve supported renters as Mayor bu there’s more to do. If re-elected I will build at least 6,000 rent control homes, invest more in tackling rogue landlords, and introduce far-reaching reforms to help renters defend their rights.”
And he continued: “While the Tories are in the pockets of the landlord lobby, I’ll be a renters’ champion …. [I’ll be] a Mayor who will always stand up for renters.”
