A large survey of tenants unsurprisingly shows strong support for rent controls.

But most tenants want such controls even if it means more landlords quit the sector, and future rents rise as a consequence.

A survey of 5,607 tenants by flat-sharing website SpareRoom reveals that as part of the justification for controls, many tenants believe they have suffered problems because of high costs.

In the past 12 months, 32% of UK renters and 35% of London renters claim they have had to move because their rent became unaffordable.

Two thirds (67%) of UK renters had seen their rent increase in the past 12 months: 42% had seen rents go up in their current rental and 25% faced rises when they moved into a new rental.

Around six in 10 advocates of rent controls back them even if it means there are fewer landlords – and therefore rental properties – as a result.

And some 70% of London renters had seen their rent increase in the past 12 months: 44% in their current rental and 27% when they moved into a new rental.

SpareRoom director Matt Hutchinson says: “Rents just hit record highs in six of the UK’s nine regions, and supply across the country has taken a battering as the Renters’ Rights Act came into effect.

“Although tenants are now better protected in the market, they are certainly not better off.

“Renters have been struggling with housing costs since the pandemic forced up prices steeply, and now supply is being squeezed, rents will only go up again unless action is taken.”

And he adds: “It’s easy to see why the majority of renters support rent controls – they’ll bring some much-needed relief from rent rises – but they won’t solve the underlying supply issue.

“The real question is whether Andy Burnham’s Labour Government will manage to do what successive governments have failed to for decades and meaningfully increase the UK’s supply of affordable homes.”