A petition demanding a cap on soaring rent increases, signed by nearly 57,000 people, was delivered to 10 Downing Street this week, as pressure mounts on the Government to introduce stronger protections for renters.
The petition was handed in by Bridget Chapman, a single mother from Durham, who has become a vocal figure in the fight for tenants’ rights after her landlord raised her rent by 20% — a sudden hike of £100 per month — with only days’ notice.
“As a single parent living with my two children, with one income to live on, the impact will ripple through my life,” said Chapman. “I feel broken down by this system.”
Chapman, who previously suffered serious health issues due to extreme damp in a former rental property, hoped her new home would provide stability. Instead, she says, she has been dealt another devastating blow.
“Rents in my local area are high, and I cannot simply jump to another more affordable option,” she added. “I was already struggling to cover my essentials; this shock rent rise will put even more of a strain on me.”
The petition is backed by Generation Rent, a tenant advocacy group campaigning for rent controls across England and Wales. While the Government has previously dismissed calls for such measures, the group says the need for intervention is becoming urgent.
According to Generation Rent, the most common reason given to tenants for rent increases was not due to landlords facing rising costs, but simply “because of the rising rewards of ‘the market’.”
Provisions to rein in arbitrary rent hikes are included in the proposed Renters’ Rights Bill. Under the bill, landlords would be restricted to raising rents no more than once a year, with any increase capped at the going market rate. Crucially, rent rises would also require at least two months’ notice via a formal Section 13 notice.
Despite ministerial resistance, the campaigners remain hopeful. “Thousands of renters are being priced out of their homes simply because the market allows it,” a Generation Rent spokesperson said. “This is not sustainable — the time for rent reform is now.”