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“Decades of government decisions have prioritized profits over the safety and security of tenants for landlords and investors,” said Elizabeth Williams from the LRU. “Measures like an end to no-fault evictions and rent freezes can bring us closer to a housing system that prioritizes human need over small-town profit.”
The Conservative government has long promised a renters’ reform bill, but years of political and economic chaos have meant that significant progress has not yet been made to make it a reality.
“I joined LRU four months ago because my mum has dementia and has had problems as a renter,” said Cara, who marches for LRU in Stratford. “I had to start representing her when her managing agents chastised her for complaining about a broken water heater.”

“I have had to constantly fight on her behalf against agents and landlords who want to raise her rent,” she said. “My mum is on housing benefit, so the rent increase could make her homeless. I had to explain to her landlord that it is not appropriate to move a dementia patient around with loads as it can cause great confusion and distress.”
Long-term tenants in guaranteed shorthold tenancy contracts are often not protected from ‘no-fault’ clause 21 evictions: a clause that allows landlords to evict tenants if they do not agree to a rent increase. Despite the government’s promises to abolish the clause, Section 21 evictions are still legal, with the LRU reporting a 76 percent increase since last year.
“Thankfully we were able to negotiate with the landlord, but it was just down to hard work and luck – we weren’t protected by the law,” Cara said. “Fighting these battles becomes an unpaid job — you’re already paying the rent, but then you have to do all this extra work for security.”
“I joined the LRU a year ago because rent is the biggest outgoing for everyone – it hits us all hard, and it’s really unfair,” said Jonathan, who marched for the LRU in Stratford. “Housing has gone from being a bare necessity to a point of investment – people who can’t afford housing are being exploited by big, career landlords for profit.”
“The short-term solution to this crisis is a rent freeze,” Jonathan said. “Rents are rising at a massive rate out of step with inflation – the freeze is not a matter of ‘want’, it’s a necessity. If we don’t act now, tenants will be made homeless on a large scale.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also voiced his support for the rent freeze, calling on government ministers to introduce a two-year cap on private rents in the capital.
“The fact that 40 per cent of Londoners believe they will struggle to pay their rent in the next six months shows the scale of the housing crisis in London,” Khan said at the Crisis Rent Summit in November.
“Private renters in London are putting a huge strain on their finances due to rising rents, bills and the cost of household essentials. Ministers must take this crisis seriously and act now.
Proponents of the rent freeze point to Scotland as an example, which in October implemented a cap on rental rent increases until March 2023.
“Just as the Scottish Government has refused to freeze fares, the Tories are giving companies like Foxtons the green light to increase fares,” said Elizabeth from the LRU.
“We all deserve a home where we can thrive, and have enough left over after rent to pay our bills and live a good life.”
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