Green Party leader calls for mayors to be given rent control powers

Zack Polanski says the UK must learn lessons from where rent controls have and haven’t worked.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski (pictured) has called for mayors to be given powers to introduce rent controls, arguing renters are being squeezed by what he describes as runaway rent increases, during an interview on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

Outlining his plans to “lower people’s bills”, he says rent control should be a central focus for the Government because renters are among those hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis. “The problem we need to fix is spiralling rents,” he adds and points to “16 European countries that have brought in rent controls”.

He argues Britain should examine evidence, though, before designing its own system and that the UK should look at where controls have worked and also “learn lessons” from places where they have not delivered the intended results.

“I think that mayors should be given the powers for rent controls,” he says. “Right now people are really struggling. People who run small businesses, people who are unemployed. Even people who run big businesses are really feeling the pinch.

They’re stuck… in an overinflated market where landlords can often charge what they want.”

“But one of the groups that is feeling it the most is renters. They’re stuck… in an overinflated market where landlords can often charge what they want.”

Polanski says devolving powers to mayors would allow the regions to act directly and tailor policies to their local markets. He adds, however, that he would not oppose rent controls at either a national or local level, and that increasing housing supply must remain a priority alongside any intervention in the rental market.

You can see the full interview here.

Picture: BBC