Labour is considering a policy to give local leaders powers to freeze rent increases for private tenants over the winter, Lisa Nandy has revealed.
The Shadow Levelling Up Secretary said she is "very interested and attracted" by the idea and has asked her team to create a "workable proposal".
She insisted that "doing nothing is not an option" amid warnings from Shelter that around one in seven have had their rent hiked in the last month.
It comes after some Labour figures including John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor, and the London mayor Sadiq Khan have called for rent freezes in the face of the cost of living crisis.
Speaking at a fringe event at the Labour conference, Ms Nandy said: "I'm personally very interested and attracted by the idea that local mayors and council leaders should be able to make decisions to freeze rent increases in their local areas over the winter.
She added: "I've asked my team to look at that to see if we can work that up into a workable proposal. I think doing nothing is not an option."
She also told Labour delegates that "now is the moment Labour has to step in" and stressed: "Housing for us is not a market, it's a fundamental human right".
Ms Nandy added: "We've got to focus on driving up standards across the board."
"I announced that we would legislate in the first 100 days of a Labour government to provide a private renters charter and tilt the balance of power back to tenants in the private rented sector.
It comes after the Shadow Levelling Up Secretary outlined plans to create a Renters' Charter on Monday in a bid to "tilt" power back in favour of private tenants.
If Labour wins power at the next election, the Renters' Charter will end automatic evictions for rent arrears and abolish no fault evictions.
It will also create a national database of landlords, a legally binding decent homes standards, and examine "portable" deposit schemes.
The plans for a Renters' Charter will be included in a white paper in the first 100 days of a Labour government, the party said.
Ms Nandy has also pledged to create a generation of social housing, telling delegates at the conference in Liverpool the Tories have turned "housing into a racket".
A spokesperson for the left-wing Momentum group said: "Amidst a huge cost-of-living crisis, with millions struggling to stay afloat and younger generations bearing the brunt, a rent freeze is an urgent, necessary and popular policy - Lisa Nandy is right to back it.
"Indeed, this is already a common sense Labour position, backed by Sadiq Khan and Scottish Labour alike.
"The Leadership should support it nationwide unreservedly, and put clear red water between Labour and a Conservative Party more interested in serving bankers than renters."
