Rents rocket as demand soars along Elizabeth Line
12 months ago
Generation Rent calls for rent freeze amid growing homelessness
12:01 AM, 6th May 2025, 12 months ago
19
Generation Rent has issued an urgent call for the UK government to cap rising rents, pointing to a deepening housing crisis that has left record numbers of families in temporary accommodation.
Its plea follows the release of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s statutory homelessness statistics for October to December 2024, which reveal a stark rise in homelessness and housing insecurity across the nation.
The data shows 127,890 households were living in temporary accommodation by 31 December 2024, a 1.5% increase from the previous quarter and a 13.6% surge compared to the previous year. This translates to 165,510 individuals, including children, with a 13.7% rise from December 2023.
‘Slam the brakes on soaring rents’
Dan Wilson Craw, the organisation’s deputy chief executive, said: “Our rental system is broken. With rent prices soaring far beyond what we earn, people become trapped living in temporary accommodation because they simply can’t find somewhere affordable to live.
“People need change now. It must intervene to slam the brakes on soaring rents, while also unfreezing Local Housing Allowance so those on low incomes have more options in finding a home.”
He added: “More and more children are spending their formative years trapped living in temporary accommodation, often in overcrowded and unsafe conditions and at huge cost to local authorities.
“This is a national scandal that demands government action.”
Families in temporary accommodation
The data shows that many families are often stuck in temporary accommodation for more than five years.
The statistics also reveal that 83,800 households were assessed as homeless or at risk of homelessness in the final quarter of 2024, a 7.7% drop from the same period in 2023.
However, Generation Rent says that Assured Shorthold Tenancies remain the leading cause of ‘housing instability’, contributing to 36.5% of cases where councils owed a prevention duty. Also, 5,820 households faced homelessness due to Section 21 eviction notices, down 1.4% from the previous year.
In total, 17,690 households were granted main homelessness duty status, a 9.3% rise from 2023.
Tags:
generation rent, homelessness statistics, Local Housing Allowance, rent freeze, Section 21 Notice, temporary accommodation, UK government, UK Housing Crisis
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Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
7:58 AM, 7th May 2025, About 12 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Nikki Palmer at 07/05/2025 – 07:19… that would require them to admit they’d got it wrong – never going to happen, as they are always right.
They have to put the blame elsewhere and where better than the already big bad, greedy Landlords.
Member Since July 2023 - Comments: 28
8:40 AM, 7th May 2025, About 12 months ago
It worked so well in the 70s. The height of madness is to repeat something guaranteed to fail. There is a supply side problem. Fixing the legal system so non paying tenants could be removed quickly would go a long way to help as would training tradesmen so we can build more. My son in law is building 48 small homes for c. 5m, so cheap housing is quite feasible even today.
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 204
10:14 AM, 10th May 2025, About 11 months ago
I have a great suggestion as to how the government can control rents…………….buy landlords out, with tenants in-situ.
I have a couple of properties they can have (at market rates), and then they can charge whatever rents they like.
After all, they keep telling us we are making too much money.
So it should be a nice little earner for the government then………….right?
Show me!
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
12:23 PM, 10th May 2025, About 11 months ago
Reply to the comment left by David100 at 10/05/2025 – 10:14
The Government will want Blackrock to buy them but they’ll want a discount from market price and won’t want a £10-25k EPC upgrade cost.
So what do you think the Govt will do?
Ban sales of non-compliant houses so forcing owners to foot the upgrade bill (plus penalties if not completed by 2035, say). Or maybe the usually subsidy using taxpayers money, or both.
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 204
1:35 PM, 10th May 2025, About 11 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Gromit at 10/05/2025 – 12:23
Yeah, but my point was, IF landlords are making too much money (according to the government), then it should be EASY for them to buy properties off us (at market rates) rent them out AND make a profit too.
I would imagine the government is able to borrow money at much better rates than private landlords.
So why dont they?
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
1:47 PM, 10th May 2025, About 11 months ago
Reply to the comment left by David100 at 10/05/2025 – 13:35… because they, individually, don’t make anything out of it. Third parties will give them ‘incentives’.
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 204
3:08 PM, 10th May 2025, About 11 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Gromit at 10/05/2025 – 13:47
Are the “incentives” in brown paper bags?
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
4:33 PM, 10th May 2025, About 11 months ago
Reply to the comment left by David100 at 10/05/2025 – 15:08
You got it.
Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
4:35 PM, 10th May 2025, About 11 months ago
Reply to the comment left by David100 at 10/05/2025 – 15:08
…. and maybe lucrative non-Exec Directorships, etc.