The Government may have signalled the end of no-fault evictions but it is not enough for one tenant group.

Responding as the Renters’ Reform Bill was published yesterday, the London Renters Union warned tens of thousands of tenants are still set to be forced out of their homes by unaffordable rent hikes each year.

It warned that while the Bill bans in-contract rent hikes, it still lets landlords raise rents once a year to the market rate.

The group warns that “already overheated market rents” are a meaningless benchmark for affordability and such a system will have little effect when millions of tenants across the country can be hit with increases at the same time.

Jae Vail, a spokesperson for the London Renters Union, said: “Banning no-fault evictions is long-overdue, but it means little if landlords can still drive people out with sky-high rent hikes. It’s outrageous that a family can be pushed into homelessness just so a landlord can make a bigger profit. 

“In recent years, tenants across the country have been hit with sweeping, large rent increases and it is clear that market rates can not be used as a benchmark for any regulation. People are at breaking point, and we can no longer tolerate half measures. England’s 11m tenants need rent controls now so we can stop living in fear and start planning for our future. 

“After we saw that an unscrupulous landlord has been allowed to hold a position within Starmer’s government, it’s time for Labour to put the needs of ordinary renters before private profit.”