A Labour council is being tipped to vote tomorrow to introduce rent controls for the private sector, even though it has no powers to implement such a decision.
Other measures predicted to be backed by Bristol council include a rogue landlord database and exploring how to prevent ‘bidding wars’ to secure private rental properties which have rival prospective tenants.
The proposals for the measures come from a body called the Living Rent Commission, which reports to the council but has an independent structure including councillors from different parties, and tenant representatives.
Green councillor Tom Hathway, who is backing the idea alongside Labour members, has spoken to a Bristol alternative online news service called Cable and says: “The national shift from social housing to private rented over the last 40 years has seen houses turned from homes into investment vehicles. Deregulation has left tenants with little protection, and with the economic chaos the government have unleashed, already over-inflated rents in Bristol are shooting up further and pushing people into poverty.
“This joint motion [for rent controls and other measures] builds on the ongoing work of the council’s Living Rent Commission and includes actions we can take today to engage and protect Bristol’s 130,000-plus renters, whilst we wait for the government to catch up and devolve the rent control powers we urgently need.”
Labour’s cabinet member for housing on the council - Tom Renhard - told Cable: “This motion allows the council to put its full weight behind getting rent controls introduced in Bristol. The current government’s reluctant to allow us to trial them, but with Labour pledging to devolve significant powers to local government, this gives us a clear path to getting them introduced.
“In the more immediate term, this motion pledges our support for expanding landlord licensing city-wide, builds on our work tackling unscrupulous landlords, assist efforts to end ‘bidding wars’, and will see the council officially oppose the previously proposed expansion of right-to-buy to Housing Associations – and instead put suggestions to government for ways to increase home ownership without depleting social housing stock.
“Alongside our work expanding the supply of housing, with 2,563 homes built last year alone, including the most affordable homes for 12 years, these policies are sorely needed to tackle Bristol’s housing crisis.”
Last week Labour’s national leader Sir Kier Starmer set out a radical programme of devolution to local authorities at city and county level - and which could, by accident or design, herald the introduction of rent controls across the country.
Starmer says the first King’s Speech under a Labour government would include a so-called Take Back Control bill - reclaiming the slogan of Brexit supporters - and this bill would devolve powers to local communities over employment support, transport, energy, climate change, culture, housing, culture and childcare provision.
Although details were light in Starmer’s speech, the inclusion of housing in his devolution agenda means local mayors and councils may be in a position to implement rent controls, more landlord licensing and other controls over the private rental sector.
Labour local government politicians have been fiercely pro-active in recent months, calling for additional powers over private rental properties and in addition to Bristol, local Labour leaders in London, Manchester and Wales have called for rent controls.
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