- Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering a plan to force landlords to freeze rents for up to a year.
- This proposal is part of a wider cost of living package aimed at mitigating the impact of rising food and fuel prices on household budgets.
- Supporters, such as the New Economics Foundation, argue that rent controls could address the private rented sector's affordability crisis.
- Critics, including the National Residential Landlords Association, warn that a rent freeze would deter investment, reduce housing supply, and ultimately drive new rents higher.
- New-build properties would be exempt from the freeze to avoid halting development, and while the Green Party advocates for rent freezes, Labour previously rejected a similar proposal.
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