Overview
- Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said on Friday that the government will not introduce rent controls in England and cited Scotland's experience as a reason for rejecting caps or freezes.
- Her statement conflicts with earlier comments from Prime Minister Andy Burnham this week in which he said the government was 'looking at' temporary rent freezes as a short-term cost‑of‑living measure.
- Rayner said the Renters' Rights Act is already giving tenants the power to challenge rent rises at tribunals and that the government will focus on those protections to steady the rental market.
- She warned that the manifesto pledge to build 1.5 million homes is becoming harder to meet because of higher construction costs and delivery limits, though she said she will try to keep the target.
- Landlord groups have warned that price caps would cut private supply, Scottish precedent shows mixed effects from controls, and fiscal and local capacity constraints mean ministers must weigh trade-offs before changing policy.