Industry Leaders Warn Against Proposed Rent Freeze

The UK property industry has voiced strong opposition to a proposed year-long rent freeze intended to assist tenants with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. Critics argue that such a measure would be counterproductive, potentially forcing more landlords to exit the market due to mounting financial pressures and the requirements of the Renters’ Rights Act. Industry experts warn that reducing the number of available rental properties will only serve to decrease supply, which would ultimately drive new rental prices even higher for tenants. This creates a cycle where the intended relief could inadvertently worsen the affordability crisis it seeks to solve. The consensus among professional bodies is that market stability relies on maintaining landlord confidence rather than implementing restrictive price controls.

Mike Georgeson, CEO of Matriva, commented: “This shows that while the intention behind rent freezes is to help tenants, the practical reality is that it often backfires by shrinking the pool of available homes. For landlords and agents, this highlights the critical need to engage with policymakers to explain how supply-side constraints directly impact the very people they are trying to protect.”

Source: Letting Agent Today

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