Hundreds of tenants march in London to call for rent controls
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Hundreds of tenants gathered in Cavendish Square on Saturday to protest against London's rising rents, with one renter saying that soaring prices are "breaking down communities".
The march was organised by the London Renters Union, a group calling for the government to introduce rent controls.
According to ONS figures, in October 2024, the average rent in London was £2,172, up £204 on the same time period in 2023.
One of the protesters at Saturday's march was Jamie Campbell, who has lived in London for 11 years.
Mr Campbell's rent rose yet again last month and he was forced to move out.
He told ITV News London: "I laid in that flat after I cleaned up with nothing in there. On the ground, by myself. I looked up, and I caught myself contemplating the worst option.
"Then I had to get up the next day, take the keys back, smile at that landlord - so I get my references and my deposit back. Then, I had to go and visit multiple agencies, smile and put this avatar on, just to find some home security."
Iola Isaac is a member of the London Renters Union and a renter. She described the impact of rising rents on communities.
Ms Isaac said: "It's unattainable, it's not fair and it's breaking down communities. People are having to leave where they grew up, leave their friends, leave their family - that's not how it works, and it shouldn't."
Housing charity Shelter's latest figures also show that homelessness in the capital rose by 12% in the last year.
Shelter's Director of Campaigns, Mairi MacRae, told ITV News London: "Every single year Shelter is seeing increases in the number of people who are homeless. Every single time the statistics on homelessness come out, we see more and more children who are homeless and living in temporary accommodation.
"Something absolutely has to change, and it's really important that the government are looking at ways to make private renting more affordable."
The government said it's taking action through the Renters' Rights Bill.
A spokesperson said: “We’re transforming rights for 11 million private tenants in England through the Renters’ Rights Bill, which will end rental bidding wars and ban ‘no fault’ evictions. This action coupled with the mission in our Plan for Change to boost housing supply by building 1.5 million more homes will tackle the crisis we have inherited.”
While the London Renters Union recognises this, it believes the government is "currently taking its hands off the wheel" when it comes to renting affordability.
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