Housing minister Matthew Pennycook (main image) has confirmed that Labour has no plans to introduce rent controls in England.

His unequivocal statement follows a parliamentary question from Tory leadership hopeful Kemi Badenoch (pictured), who had wondered what plans Labour has for “restrictions on rent increases and other rent controls in the domestic private rented sector”.

Badenoch posed the question in her capacity as shadow secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, a role she was given following Rishi Sunak ‘reshuffle’ following his defeat in last month’s general election.

Badenoch has proved no slouch in the role – her question on rent controls was one of 11 she asked about housing yesterday, having posed a further 13 the day before and 14 on Wednesday.

'Not support'

Pennycook replied to her latest inquiry, saying: “The Government does not support the introduction of rent controls.

“We have made clear that we intend to use the Renters’ Rights Bill to provide tenants with greater protections against unreasonable within-tenancy rent increases.”

Briefing notes for the King’s Speech last month set out Labour’s approach to rent rises, saying it wanted “strengthen tenants’ rights and protections” by empowering them to “challenge rent increases designed to force them out by the backdoor and introduce new laws to end the practice of rental bidding wars by landlords and letting agents”.

Pennycook’s flat rejection of rent controls is good news for landlords who worry that such a policy would be a dangerous intervention in a ‘free market’, but pressure is building on the Government to do something as rents continue to rise. A poll conducted before the general election by Ipsos found that 79% of Labour voters supported rent controls, while 69% of Conservative voters also supported them.

Image credits: Parliament TV/Twitter