Hundreds of tenants have staged a protest in central London calling for the government to introduce rent controls.

Organiser - the London Renters Union (LRU) - says its action follows a wave of renter-led demonstrations across Europe which have been held to highlight the impact of high rents.

Spokesperson Elyem Chej wants the Renters’ Rights Bill to go further, she told the BBC. “Rent control can take the pressure off renters right now while we continue to push for the public homes we need and deserve.”

Demonstrator Conall Ó Brolcháin has lived in Tottenham for five years, but while he now has some security in a two-year lease, he was forced to leave his last flat over a 51% rent hike.

Rent rises

“I’ve found my community there but we’re constantly experiencing rent rises, we’re constantly being pushed out of flats because we can’t afford them anymore,” Ó Brolcháin adds.

Iola Isaac describes the quality of her rental accommodation as diabolical. She has coped with an electrical fire at her house along with damp, mould, rats and sewage issues.

Isaac had to argue with her landlord to have problems addressed, she adds. “Those major landlords don’t fix repairs. They’re trying to cut corners which in the long run is worse because they end up spending more money.”

She withheld her rent to try to force her landlord to address the issues. It then spent £300,000 putting her and a neighbour up in temporary accommodation while it fixed problems with their property.

The government says the Renters’ Rights Bill would see the end of no-fault evictions and rental bidding wars. “This action, coupled with the mission in our Plan for Change to boost housing supply by building 1.5 million more homes, will tackle the crisis we have inherited,” a spokesperson explains.

Image credit: LRU/X.com