RENT CONTROLS: As Scotland and New York go for it, focus turns on London
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani was elected on a pledge to 'freeze the rent', and Scotland is introducing rent control areas. So is the Capital next?
Rent controls have hit the headlines with the newly-elected Mayor of New York promising to freeze rent at the same time Scotland green-lights rent control areas.
Zohran Mamdani (main picture) grabbed attention worldwide last week when he won a decisive victory with a keynote pledge to ‘freeze the rent’.
His election has been leapt on by activists in the UK, with renters rights group Acorn demanding similar action. And London Mayor Sadiq Khan recently renewed his efforts to secure rent control powers in the Capital.
He told members of the London Assembly it was top of his list of devolved powers, and it was essential to improve conditions for renters.
Election pledge
Rent controls were one of Khan’s key election pledges before he was re-elected as Mayor in May. A devolution white paper currently under consideration could lead to new rent controls in different parts of the country.
The Mayor admitted that ministers were not keen on the idea. But he argues that the Scottish Government had introduced rent freezes, so why couldn’t the same thing be done in the Capital.
Milestone
Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, says: “Royal Assent for the Housing (Scotland) Act marks another significant milestone for the private rented sector.
“Local authorities across Scotland will now start to prepare and submit reports to the Scottish Government on the rent conditions in their localities by the end of May 2027, which could lead to the introduction of Rent Control Areas,” he says.
“Further clarity is still needed from the Scottish Government on exemptions to Rent Control Areas and guidance to support the changes.”
Progressive politicians eager to slam the brakes on rent growth, in deference to the entitled young lobbyists who demand that expensive-to-provide property be made cheap. It does not occur to them that they should first take their foot off the rent accelerator, Section 24 tax on non-existent rental profit.