Private renting is rapidly becoming unaffordable

I wholly concur with your editorial regarding the soaring costs of privately-rented accommodation in London which is rapidly becoming unaffordable for many (Rent freeze would be a vote winner (April 21, p16).

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is to be commended for his continued campaign for rent controls, compared with the Government’s ongoing failure to abolish no-fault evictions under Section 21 of the Housing Act (1988) despite promising to do so within the 2019 Conservative manifesto.

This letter is neither a blanket endorsement of Mr Khan and the Labour Party nor a sweeping denunciation of all private landlords.

However, it cannot be disputed that long-term, reasonably-priced, secure tenancies of safe, warm and well-maintained properties cannot fail to be beneficial to tenants, landlords, local areas and society as a whole.

It is to the shame of successive governments of all political colours that private tenants have always been treated shabbily, and often contemptuously, within the housing market.

Many private tenants whose bills are included in their rent have not received the £400 energy rebate payment from their landlords and are frightened to raise this due to fear of a “revenge” eviction.

It is vital that all private renters register to vote as soon as possible for the 2024 London elections at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

There are five million people within this sector which is sufficient to influence results and careful questioning of electoral candidates regarding the rights of private tenants would be very wise.

Keeley-Jasmine Cavendish,
Address withheld

Picture: Pixabay