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London Mayor Sadiq Khan calls for UK government to freeze rent

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As housing prices soar and moving becomes near impossible due to increased competition, the mayor of London is asking the government to freeze rent – potentially saving city-dwellers £3,000 over the next two years.

Finding a home in London right now is nothing short of crisis-inducing.

Locating a flat that doesn’t induce claustrophobia or bankruptcy, securing a viewing, and having an offer accepted are three separate hurdles – none of which guarantee making it through the next.

According to reports by Spare Room and Houselet, tenants living in England’s capital are forking out anywhere between £815 – 1,127 pounds per month for a place to lay their heads each night. For most, rental costs absorb 40 percent of their total income.

The knowledge that renting in London is 71 percent more expensive compared to other parts of the UK and sits at 15.7 percent higher than average rental costs did just last year only twists the knife further.

And without stating the painfully obvious, the cost of living has risen in conjunction, leaving people across the nation pinching their pockets – unless they’re London landlords, I suppose.

A true man of the people, London Mayor Sadiq Khan is asserting his power by urging the government to freeze rent, labelling the situation ‘a disgrace’.

It’s not the first time Sadiq Khan has asked the government to throw Londoners a lifeline.

In 2018, he wrote to Labour MP Karen Buck saying, ‘The housing crisis is now having such an effect on a generation of Londoners that the arguments in favour of rent stabilisation and control are becoming overwhelming.’

The letter leaked, but nothing changed. So a year later he launched a scheme for reforming private renting in London which would award him with the decision-making power to freeze costs for citizens.

His rent-control and stabilisation strategy drew inspiration from New York and Berlin, where populations are increasing as people move to live and find work, driving housing competition and costs up. Still, nothing has materialised.

It’s anybody’s guess whether an astronomical increase in rental prices will be enough to convince the government to cut Londoners some slack. Perhaps, Sadiq’s request will do the trick. The third time’s the charm, eh?

As someone looking to move in two weeks’ time, let’s just say I bloody hope so.

Senior Writer & Media Coordinator London, UK

I’m Jessica (She/Her). Originally from Bermuda, I moved to London to get a Master’s degree in Media & Communications and now write for Thred to spread the word about positive social change, specifically ocean health and marine conservation. You can also find me dipping my toes into other subjects like pop culture, health, wellness, style, and beauty.  Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

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