Most Renters Want Capped Rents — But Even They See the Catch

Ask tenants what would help with soaring rents and the answer seems obvious: cap them. A new survey of 5,607 renters by SpareRoom found that more than 80% back the introduction of rent controls, and the findings land just as Andy Burnham weighs up reform of the rental market. On the surface, it looks like a policy with overwhelming public support. Dig a little deeper, though, and the picture becomes far more complicated.

The timing matters. Rents have just hit record highs in six of the UK's nine regions, and supply across the country has taken a battering since the Renters' Rights Act came into effect. SpareRoom's director, Matt Hutchinson, points out that although tenants are now better protected in the market, they are certainly not better off. Housing costs have been climbing steeply since the pandemic forced prices up, and with fewer homes available, his warning is blunt: rents will only rise again unless action is taken.

Here is the twist, though. The same survey found that six out of ten tenants understand that rent controls risk pushing landlords out of the market, which could shrink supply and drive rents up in the long run. In other words, most renters are not naive about the trade-offs — they simply want relief from relentless price rises, even if they know it will not fix the underlying problem. As Hutchinson puts it, rent controls would bring some much-needed respite, but they will not solve the supply issue at the heart of the crisis.

Industry voices are far less ambivalent. Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, has urged the government to rule out rent controls entirely, pointing to warnings from Angela Rayner herself and the cross-party Housing Select Committee that such measures would undermine the supply of rental homes tenants urgently need. Greg Tsuman, managing director of lettings at Martyn Gerrard Estate Agents, goes further, arguing that a rent freeze would spell disaster for tenants trying to secure a property — especially with new taxes taking effect in less than eight months, borrowing costs surging and landlords still adjusting to the Renters' Rights Act.

Tsuman also highlights a troubling side-effect: landlords who are selling up would often rather leave properties vacant than risk keeping tenants in situ, further draining available stock. His alternative is straightforward — cut the tax burden on letting rather than capping rents, which he believes would do more to improve affordability without discouraging investment.

So where does this leave the debate? Beadle argues the government's energy would be better spent on enforcement against rogue landlords and repairing the justice system so the Renters' Rights Act can actually work as intended. Meanwhile, the government has yet to confirm whether it will proceed with rent control measures, though Burnham has acknowledged the policy is under consideration.

For tenants, the practical takeaway is to be realistic: even if controls arrive, they are unlikely to conjure more homes into existence, and competition for well-priced rentals will stay fierce. For landlords, the message is that policy uncertainty is itself a market risk, and decisions to sell or leave properties empty will shape supply just as much as any legislation. Whichever way the debate lands, the real fix — more homes to rent — remains stubbornly out of reach.