Andy Burnham’s landlord policies under scrutiny
2 weeks ago | 4 comments
Andy Burnham reported to be considering a rent freeze
9:59 AM, 22nd July 2026, 2 weeks ago
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Landlords could face a rent freeze as Andy Burnham considers urgent measures designed to give households relief from the cost-of-living crisis.
The new Prime Minister confirmed that rent freezes were among several options being examined with the Treasury, alongside lower energy bills and caps on bus fares.
However, while speaking with reports after his Downing Street speech, he stopped short of confirming that the policy would go ahead.
Instead, Mr Burnham said colleagues are still finalising the details of a package intended to make a difference this year.
Measures to help families
According to the Daily Telegraph, he told reporters: “We are looking at measures that could make a difference this year.
“So, we are looking at all of those things, but we will make more announcements.”
Mr Burnham added: “It’s premature to say it will be any one of those particular things.
“We just want to do some things that people will feel and feel quite quickly.
“It won’t solve everything, it won’t take all of the pressure off, but it just shows the direction of travel and that we’re serious about helping them out.”
However, Ben Beadle, the chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) warned there is a ‘need to rule out any form of rent control’.
He added: “As Angela Rayner herself and the cross-party Housing Select Committee have all warned, rent controls would undermine the supply of the homes to rent so many tenants urgently need.”
Landlord rent freeze fears
The comments came as Mr Burnham placed the cost of living at the centre of his first days in Downing Street, promising families ‘breathing space’ and measures that would ‘take the pressure off’.
The Times reports that the wider programme could include tax cuts for lower earners and free adult social care, while Mr Burnham has also pledged to remain within Labour’s existing fiscal rules.
For landlords, the suggestion of a rent freeze will revive concerns that ministers could intervene directly in the prices charged within the private rented sector.
A freeze would prevent affected landlords from increasing rents for a set period, regardless of changes to mortgage payments, insurance, maintenance costs or regulatory expenses.
Similar measures were introduced in Scotland in 2022, initially freezing most in-tenancy increases before moving to a system of caps.
Critics argue that the intervention discouraged investment and encouraged some landlords to leave.
Rent controls hit supply
Those concerns are emerging as the supply of homes to rent is already under pressure.
Fresh figures reported by the Telegraph suggest that the squeeze in London has deepened as landlords sell ahead of further reforms.
Also, The Spectator has warned that introducing rent controls could reduce supply further.
It argues that landlords would sell, tenants would become reluctant to move and asking rents on newly available homes could rise as owners attempted to recover their costs.
Its article also claims that buy to let mortgages could become more expensive if lenders judged the sector to be riskier following a landlord exodus.
Tags:
Andy Burnham, Cost of living, Private Landlords, Private Rented Sector, rent controls, rent freeze
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Member Since December 2025 - Comments: 18
8:14 AM, 22nd July 2026, About 2 weeks ago
Rent freeze’s will diminish further available properties to rent whilst landlords rush in rent increases before these draconion policies get enacted. I also reckon banks will be reluctant to let landlords obtain buy to let loans unless they charge much higher interest rates. Also I predict lots of landlords in positions of having little or no equity in their portfolios may be unable to afford all the extra expenditure involved with all the draconion red tape compliance measures. Landlords won’t have any money to pay the banks and with what little rent they collect will get absorbed on compliance notice expenditure and penalties before the bank repossess the property’s leaving tenants and possibly bankrupt landlords nowhere to live other than in emergency hotel accommodation.
Member Since January 2023 - Comments: 338
8:23 AM, 22nd July 2026, About 2 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by John Hole at 22/07/2026 – 08:14
And if CGT goes to 40% then LLs sales will drop and LLs forced to live with a rent freeze that is unlikely ever to be unfrozen until the next election.
Member Since May 2022 - Comments: 104
10:13 AM, 22nd July 2026, About 2 weeks ago
Just wondering how will he also freeze the range of expenses and costs which landlords will unavoidably incur in the provision of accommodation to the standard required.
Tongue in cheek of course because anything governments can do to make it more difficult for landlords they will.
Member Since July 2020 - Comments: 30
10:19 AM, 22nd July 2026, About 2 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Ray Guselli at 22/07/2026 – 10:13
As soon as Starmer was out I have sent rent increase notices to all of my tenants – notwithstanding that they will come into effect months from now. Communists don’t care what happens to landlords. What’s yours becomes theirs. That’s how it works. How is this expropriation really much different from communist states of the past. Honestly- having built a large portfolio- my single biggest priority is exiting completely. Everyone has to look themselves in the mirror and ask / is it worth it? Categorically for me: No! The risk is just too high.
Member Since July 2016 - Comments: 162
10:28 AM, 22nd July 2026, About 2 weeks ago
In many parts of Scotland rent yields exceed 9%. So landlords can often make the numbers add up despite controls. In London and many parts of the South East, yields are more like 5-5.5%. so a rent freeze of significant duration will likely have a much more serious impact. The long term damage will be severe, but politicians only really care about the short term,.
Member Since August 2015 - Comments: 229
11:35 AM, 22nd July 2026, About 2 weeks ago
The above comments are a very correct analysis that the Wicked Witch of the North will no doubt be brewing.
Member Since November 2025 - Comments: 16
12:15 PM, 22nd July 2026, About 2 weeks ago
“Unregulated private rental sector”?
How many effing regulations do they want?
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 634
12:51 PM, 22nd July 2026, About 2 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Simon Kinzley at 22/07/2026 – 12:15
This clueless bunch have already made a pigs ear of the PRS and they are only getting started.
Member Since November 2020 - Comments: 50
1:10 PM, 22nd July 2026, About 2 weeks ago
Rent freeze? I presume he will also freeze all taxes to leas by example? This seems to be opposite to his homeless policies as I will have to be bringing tenancies to a close
Member Since March 2015 - Comments: 1975 - Articles: 1
2:35 PM, 24th July 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Golfman at 22/07/2026 – 10:19
Could even be a year or so if your tenants decide to go to the FTT (and assuming you’ve served them correctly using the new Form 4A)…