Green Party leader calls for rent controls because ‘landlords are better off than renters’

Of course, rent controls have worked fantastically in other countries, such as the Netherlands where they have caused rental shortages. At least we know that won’t happen here because that situation already exists thanks to the moronic abolition of section 21 amongst many other things.
You really do like to think things won’t get this bad because people will surely learn from others, but no, it looks like we really are on the verge of disaster.
I am in the Gorton and Denton constituency where there is a by election at the end of the month and Green are favourites to win. If they do, I’ll be selling up and getting out while I still can, making sure all tenants get notice before the end of April this year.

… so a renter risks nothing, not even a months rent, while a landlord risks capital of hundreds of thousands of pounds and puts their credit worthiness on the line while this excuse for an intelligent person thinks they should be considered as economically equal… or worse – the renter should have greater rights than the landlord…

… what renter could hire a Roll Royce of lesser value than a house without putting up a substantial deposit, undergoing extensive credit checks and if the hire charges aren’t paid on time the boys in blue will be on their back for theft in an instant…

… this is an ideological shift to redistribute assets through taxes and regulations which is why those with resources or brains are heading to other countries…

… without a radical change in government there is no going back for this country… it is overcommitted and under-resourced and this government can only turn to asset redistribution to bribe enough to keep it in power…

Polanski: Inept, ignorant, deluded and a down right national embarrassment.
He will serve his opponents perfectly.

Actually, he does sort of have a point. Whenever the government announces some new idiot scheme like EPC cap of £10k or whatever, the first thing landlords say is ‘well that will go on the rent’. That does not give a good impression of landlords.. does it ?

However, what the green idiot doesn’t understand is supply and demand, and many landlords neither.

If you make the rent so high then either no renter can afford it (hence demand will reduce) OR more likely, existing tenants will simply just stop paying the rent after a big increase.

I can just about afford £10k for each of my properties but that is because I don’t have any mortgages – but that doesn’t mean I will spend £10k on each property, I would look at the economics and decide to upgrade or sell.

I certainly wouldn’t go for a heat pump, but certainly increase the insulation in the property and probably install solar and battery as these 2 measures don’t destroy the fabric of the property.

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 05/02/2026 – 07:03
No this greenparty guy has no point, except he makes to be full of himself, without understand ing any of the Economics dynamics. Market rents are based on demand and supplyand not on the EPC costs or any other costs. Without the EPC costs, all landlords find the maintenance costs are too high.
Residential inhabitants see that they dont have to spend a lot on maintenance. Tenanted properties have a lot of maintenance, like painting every 3 years, bathroom and kitchen renovations, carpets changes. laminate floors, doors and windows, apart from all the compliance certificates.
This guy does not understand how the rented properties costs are so high. This contributes to good tax revenues for the government. All workmen hired by landlords pay taxes, not just from landlord incomes.
This dynamics only works if the landlords have had their properties for a long time and a few to counteract costs in one or two.
Having a property empty for a while to get the work done costs are high with double CT.
Best to sell some properties and keep cash for keeping some properties empty so less supply and demand will be too high and rental will increase for the existing available on rent. The stock will decrease over the next 2 to 4 years, as the LL’s fixed rates mortgages come to an end or they try and sell in this bad market. Not to mention some properties will be empty for selling for 1 to 2 years. In the process of going after the landlords, it will be proved that the tenants will suffer in the end. The government’s RRB will mean less properties available for rent. Everything in the Bill is against the landlords. Now we see how they will work. Good tenants will turn bad.
Some landlords are waiting for their tenants to leave so they can sell those properties. I can see a lot of properties wll not be rented for vrious reasons in the next 4 years. EPC of D means you cannot rent it out in 2030.
Politicians pay themseleves every month, renters get paid every month. How would they all feel if they did not receive their incomes for 3 months.
The unfairness of the RRB is sick.

Reply to the comment left by Tiger at 09/02/2026 – 18:06
I agree market rents are based on supply and demand HOWEVER just bunging extra rent on to cover upgrades will drive the market rent so high that tenants can’t afford to pay it. We don’t all live in London where rents seem to be fantasy land. Up here in the midlands I could spend £10k upgrading a property to EPC C or whatever, but you wouldn’t get away with bunging another £200 on the rent.per month as the market simply wouldn’t stand it as wage growth would reflect that rent increase.

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 05/02/2026 – 07:03
The knee jerk reaction of landlords to put up rent will not always work.They may lose good long standing tenants and end up with someone who says they will pay the high rent only to end up not paying anything.
I do not agree insulation will not damage the fabric of the property. Cavity wall insulation is high risk and certain loft insulation has damaged so many properties.

Reply to the comment left by David at 09/02/2026 – 23:54
As far as I can see the only upgrades worth doing are a) double glazing (and pretty much every rental property should have that by now) b) loft insulation of the ‘roll’ type – probably around £600 c) solar panels and a battery around £7k .. and if you have gas d) smart controls eg. hive – around £200

Forget insulating walls and floors (except for a carpet with an underlay) – just not cost effective, and don’t get me started on heat pumps

I have fitted thermostatic valves on all radiators just to raise the EPC rating but can honestly say none of my tenants ever changes the setting – always on maximum – so that was a waste of money.

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 10/02/2026 – 08:22
Please be careful with Solar Panels because they depend on the structure of the roof including the tiles. Bad fitment in a roof can lead to much more expensive problems than the cost of supply and installation. Have a very good look at the qualifications, insurance and warranty cover of your panel fitter. Likewise your building insurance..

Final tip, yes, you do want the bird protection on the sides of the Panels as birds are happy to find a rooftop site sheltered and warmer than ambient temperature. Their excrement is not good for the roof or Panels. Nobody wants that cleaning job.

He has more teeth than a lot of people, does that mean he should have some removed.