Nov

Landlords slam London Mayor for excluding them from ‘rental summit’

admin

The NRLA has slammed London mayor Sadiq Khan for holding an emergency summit on the private rented sector without inviting any landlords.

Khan’s summit in the capital today will bring together private renters, charities, advocacy groups and politicians to address issues facing renters – but no landlord groups.

NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle (pictured) says it is disappointing in the extreme that the mayor feels he can solve the challenges faced in the capital’s rental market without any input from those who actually provide homes.

“The stark and simple reality is that whilst the demand for private rented housing in London continues to increase, the supply of such homes is falling,” says Beadle.

“This is a direct consequence of government policy aimed at shrinking the size of the sector, along with rhetoric from the mayor that suggests private landlords are simply a problem to be managed.”

Tinkering

He adds that if the mayor wants to address the cost pressures faced by households across London, he needs to focus on boosting the number of homes available.

“Anything else would merely be tinkering with the symptoms of the challenges in the rental market, without tackling the root cause of them.”

The mayor’s office reports that the average advertised London rent has hit £2,343 a month, which is more than double other parts of the country.

Khan insists: “Ministers must take this crisis seriously and act now. There is no time to waste so we have come together today to speak with one voice.

“Our demands to ministers are simple: implement your long-promised renters reform legislation and take action now to make rents more affordable for Londoners, using all powers at the government’s disposal.”

View Full Article: Landlords slam London Mayor for excluding them from ‘rental summit’