Rent controls are not being considered for England, Angela Rayner says, as she points to the Renters’ Rights Act and a tougher housing backdrop.
Rent controls are not on the table in England, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said on Friday, as the government defends its housing agenda and tries to show progress on the rental market. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Rayner said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was not looking at bringing in rent controls, despite renewed pressure from some political figures and campaigners.
Rayner said the Renters’ Rights Act, which took effect in May, is already changing the market in ways her side sees as more practical than direct price caps. She argued that similar controls used in parts of the UK over recent years had not necessarily pushed rents lower. Her comments amount to a clear rejection of one of the most contentious proposals in the housing debate, at least for now.
The issue has been building for years. In 2023, when Burnham was mayor of Greater Manchester, he called for private sector rents to be frozen until the cost of living crisis ended. But Rayner told the BBC that her view is different now, saying she does not think rent freezes or rent controls are the right path at this point. She said the government has instead focused on giving renters more power and control through the new law.
Rayner’s remarks also land against a broader backdrop of competing political pressure. Temporary rent controls were introduced in Scotland in October 2022 and later expired. Under newer legislation, ministers in Holyrood will be able to name certain places as rent control areas, with those powers expected to come in by 2027. Councils there will be able to cap rent increases on some properties at a maximum of 6%. That makes the English debate more than an abstract policy fight; it is now a live comparison with different approaches elsewhere in the UK.
“Rent controls are not being considered for England, Angela Rayner says, as she points to the Renters’ Rights Act and a tougher housing backdrop.”
Outside government, the push for stronger action is still alive. Green Party leader Zack Polanski wants rent controls for all rented property in England, while Jeremy Corbyn, who backed rent controls in the 2019 general election, called Rayner’s comments extremely disappointing. Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has also long urged ministers to impose a cap. On the other side, Conservative shadow housing minister Gareth Bacon said rent controls would be disastrous and claimed Labour’s wider approach has driven landlords out of the market and cut choice for renters.
The stakes are high because rent controls can mean different things in practice, from limiting future increases to freezing rents for a time. Landlord groups argue such measures can make the housing shortage worse by discouraging property owners from letting homes. Supporters say they offer immediate relief when rents are rising faster than pay. That basic split helps explain why the issue keeps returning whenever housing costs bite hardest.
The Renters’ Rights Act was brought in to give more stability and security to the 11 million people who rent from private landlords. It banned fixed-term tenancies, made evictions harder, and limited rent increases to once a year at the property’s open market rent. Rayner is now presenting that package as the better answer to the rental squeeze, rather than a direct cap on prices. For tenants, landlords, and voters feeling the strain of high housing costs, that is the line to watch as the policy debate moves forward. The bottom line for Americans watching from abroad: housing fights do not end with slogans, and the government’s choice of tools tells you who it is trying to protect.
Rayner was also pressed on the government’s wider housing promise to build 1.5 million new homes by the end of the parliament in 2029. She said the target has become harder to hit because construction costs have gone up, but insisted she will keep it and not be defeated. The Conservatives dismissed the goal as a dead letter, blaming Labour’s taxes and red tape. Burnham has also promised a “cost of living government,” and his first week in office included plans to cut VAT on household energy bills from October and restore a £2 bus fare cap in England, except London, from January 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What did Angela Rayner say about rent controls in England?
She said rent controls are not on the table and that the government is not looking at bringing them in. She said she does not think rent freezes or rent controls are the right path right now.
What policy is the government pointing to instead of rent controls?
Rayner said the Renters’ Rights Act is already changing the market. The law gives renters more security by banning fixed-term tenancies, making evictions harder, and limiting rent increases to once a year at the property’s open market rent.
How did Rayner respond to pressure for rent controls from other politicians?
She rejected calls from figures including Green Party leader Zack Polanski, Jeremy Corbyn, and London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan. She said she now sees rent freezes differently than she did in 2023, when Andy Burnham called for rents to be frozen in Greater Manchester.
What housing target did Rayner discuss, and what is the problem with it?
She discussed the government’s goal of building 1.5 million new homes by the end of the parliament in 2029. She said higher construction costs have made the target harder to reach, but she still intends to keep it.
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