'We are sick and tired of seeing our city carved up by the rich and powerful.'
Tenants are gathering in Cavendish Square Gardens today in protest of the capital’s ‘spiralling’ rents.
The event is being organised by the London Renters Union (LRU), which represents thousands of renters united to transform the housing system and win homes for “people, not profit.”
The protest comes as renters in London and across Britain continue to face dramatic rent hikes, with the capital seeing some of the largest increases in the UK. According to the LRU, the cost of rent in the city has reached a level where many renters are struggling to make ends meet.
Elyem Chej, representing the LRU, said: “We are sick and tired of seeing our city carved up by the rich and powerful. It is disgraceful that ordinary people have to uproot their lives because a landlord or a developer thinks they can get more money.
“Rent control can take the pressure off renters right now while we continue to push for the public homes we need and deserve.”
In a post on X, the LRU said:
“Let’s send a message to politicians that renters won’t stand for the exploitation any longer! This city belongs to us, not landlords and developers. See you in the streets.”
The private rented sector in England has become the second-largest housing tenure, following owner-occupied homes. Approximately 4.6 million households in England rent privately, with around 450,000 in Wales and 887,000 in Scotland.
Recent figures show that rents in the capital have surged by 10.4% from 2023 to 2024, with average rents now hitting £2,172 per month.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the average rent in England has increased by 8.8% over the past year, reaching £1,348 per month. Rents in Wales and Scotland have also risen, with average costs now at £766 and £976, respectively. In total, 1.2 million private renters in England are reporting difficulties in paying their rent, according to the English Housing Survey.
Despite the challenges, government responses have been limited. The government unfroze the local housing allowance (LHA) in April 2024, but many tenants, particularly those on low incomes, are still struggling to keep up with the rising costs. Labour opted not to raise the LHA in line with the bottom 30% of market rents.
Rachelle Earwaker, senior economist at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), warned that the government has not done enough to protect people from hardship.
“Local housing allowance (LHA) was kept frozen at the latest budget, so the gap between these rising rents and the shortfall families need to cover is getting wider. The government must reverse this decision and permanently link LHA to what rents cost, so renters don’t face another winter of impossible choices. They must also ensure that the other benefits families receive actually cover the cost of their essentials,” Earwaker added.
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