Islington Council declares 'rent crisis' and demands powers to cap costs

Islington Council has declared the borough is in a state of "private renting crisis" and is calling on the Government to grant it powers to impose rent controls. A majority of councillors voted on September 24 to commit the council to lobbying the Mayor of London and the Secretary of State for Housing for the authority to introduce "long-term rent controls" and an emergency rent freeze.

The council's housing chief, Cllr Jason Jackson, stated that unaffordable rental costs mean people are seeking homelessness support or temporary accommodation. Islington is consistently one of London's most expensive boroughs for private rentals. The Office for National Statistics reported the average private rent in August 2026 stood at £2,868, marking a 6.2 per cent annual increase.

Concerns over tenant conditions and landlord practices

Cllr Michael O’Sullivan said that "ordinary people cannot live in Islington unless they live in conditions that are slum-like and very, very overcrowded." He warned that some landlords are attempting to bypass the recent abolition of Section 21 'no-fault' evictions by significantly increasing rents to force tenants out. He stated that "rent caps are the solution to this" and should be reintroduced.

The English Housing Survey for 2023/24 indicated that private renters allocate the largest proportion of their income to housing, at 34 per cent. In 2020, Islington Council fined two landlords a total of £110,500 after discovering 35 people living in three two-bedroom flats. Property tribunals have also seen landlords fined for letting out unlicensed Houses in Multiple Occupation, leading to them repaying tenants thousands of pounds.

A private tenant in Islington, Bill Mitton, who was previously served a Section 21 notice amid significant disrepair in his flat, expressed understanding for the council's declaration of a crisis. However, he cautioned that rent controls need to be designed "very carefully". Mr Mitton suggested a broader approach addressing rent levels, housing supply, social housing, empty properties, and rental standards, rather than relying solely on rent controls.

Government stance on rent controls

Neighbouring Hackney Council passed a similar motion in 2025 seeking rent control powers, a move described by Labour councillors as "common sense". Brighton and Hove, Oxford City, and Worcester City councils have also passed comparable resolutions. However, the Government has consistently refused to implement rent controls. In July, the Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner, stated the Renters Rights Act 2025 provided renters with sufficient power and control. This Act, effective from May 1, 2026, abolished no-fault evictions, capped rent increases to once annually, and limited upfront rent demands to one month's rent.

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has previously requested devolved rent control powers for his office, but the Government stated in June that it had "no plans" to do so.