Likelihood of rent controls in Bristol "not high", says Mayor
A special summit on Bristol's "rent crisis" is planned for March 2
Bristol's Mayor says the chance of rent controls being introduced in the city is "not high", despite saying he will pressure the government to allow them.
Marvin Rees was asked about the idea in a recent press conference, with a special rent summit planned next month (March 2).
According to Bristol City Council, over the past decade private rents have gone up by 52 percent, with wages only rising by 24 percent.
Across Bristol 134,000 people currently rent privately, which works out as around one third of the population, while there are more than 16,000 people on Bristol's council housing waiting list.
The council has teamed up with the Bristol Fair Renting Campaign (supported by Shelter), and community union ACORN, to host the summit.
They hope it will help form an argument as to why rent controls should be allowed by central government.
“As well as accelerating the building of affordable housing across Bristol, we are currently strengthening our powers to tackle rogue landlords, and we have invested £42 million in improving the energy efficiency of our council homes," Marvin Rees said.
“I made a manifesto commitment to campaign for the power to introduce rent controls to make Bristol an affordable living city, and we are calling on government to give us the power to regulate rents.
“Piloting rent control in Bristol will allow us to take a step towards tackling our local renting crisis and will help us develop learnings and that can inform wider positive change for the rest of the city.”
The summit aims to establish what Bristolians would like rent controls to look like, while reviewing examples of how it has proven to be effective in other countries.
Despite the plan though, Mr Rees has admitted the likelihood of it leading anywhere is not strong.
"I don't think that rent controls are the kind of intervention that this conservative government are inclined towards," he said.
Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet member for Housing Delivery and Homes, says the city is facing a rent crisis.
"We have ever-increasing rents, no-fault evictions still in effect and demand exceeding supply," he said.
"There are some homes that are not even fit for habitation in a private rented sector where tenants can struggle to enforce the few rights they have."
Councillor Renhard has also called Bristol's rental market "out of control" and "not fair".
"Unaffordable private rents are deepening inequality, as people on lower incomes are at growing risk of homelessness and many are being forced out of the city," he said,
“It’s time for a reset in the relationship and for the national government to give us the powers we need locally to properly regulate privately rented housing.
"We are asking renters across the city to join us to share their experiences, shape the discussion on enforcement and hear about different models of what a living rent for Bristol could look like if we had the power to introduce rent controls.”
If you would like to go to Bristol's rent summit, you can book tickets here.