London Mayoral elections in May

March 9, 2016

The EU referendum planned for the 23rd June is really taking the limelight at present what with David Cameron pushing for “remain” since his return  from Brussels In February, Boris Johnson putting his weight behind the “leave” campaign, the resignation of John Longworth Head of The British Chambers of Commerce following his fallout over “Brexit” and only just yesterday we had the “Eurosceptics” attack on Mark  Carney Governor of the Bank of England for his pro EU comments in the Brexit debate.

There is another important vote taking place before the EU refrendum and that is on the 5th May when Londoners will elect a new Mayor and the 25 members of the London Assembly.

Liberal Democrat London Mayoral candidate Caroline Pidgeon is putting forward some worthwhile policies which deal with some of the problems facing the large population of “private renters” in London.

Ms Pidgeon said in a recent report that she would encourage landlords to offer longer tenancies if elected,  she hoped this would provide renters with both stability and protection from rent hikes, looking to increase them from the present 6 months to up to 5 years.

The LibDem hopeful has also pledged to build 200,000 new homes to increase supply and “push down” rents, last month she outlined proposalsto give tenants first refusal on buying their home should the landlord decide to sell it during their tenancy.

In a recent visit to an affordable housing development site Ms Pidgeon was reported as saying: “By making sure rogue landlords are prosecuted, enforcing housing standards and promoting longer tenancies of 3 to 5 years to give tenants security we can make an real impact on improving the lives of people who choose to rent.”

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Mansion tax would hit London hardest

Mansion tax would hit London hardest, as capital accounts for 66% of all homes sold above £2m so far this year The latest data insight from Enness Global has revealed that, should the Chancellor introduce a 1% annual mansion tax on properties valued over £2 million, the measure would overwhelmingly target London homeowners, with two-thirds…
Read More →
Breaking News

Share of first-time buyers opting for low-deposit deals rose 8.6% in October

Barclays mortgage data shows deposits under £20,000 made up 22.1 per cent of first-time buyer completions in October 60 per cent of renters say they would require financial incentives or homebuying support schemes to get onto the property ladder Confidence in the housing market dipped three percentage points to 24 per cent month-on-month, although sentiment…
Read More →
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Nearly one in five potential movers waiting for Budget before resuming plans

A new Rightmove study of over 10,000 potential movers looks at how Budget speculation is affecting decisions Nearly one in five (17%) potential movers said they have paused their plans due to uncertainty about changes to property taxes in the upcoming Budget The majority (61%) of potential movers surveyed said they were aware of rumours…
Read More →
Breaking News

Latest ONS Private Rent and House Prices Index

Average UK monthly private rents increased by 5.0%, to £1,360, in the 12 months to October 2025 (provisional estimate); this annual growth rate is down from 5.5% in the 12 months to September 2025. Average rents increased to £1,416 (5.0%) in England, £817 (6.7%) in Wales and £1,008 (3.4%) in Scotland, in the 12 months…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Winter property checklist: How to protect your home this season

As temperatures drop and winter approaches, Propertymark, the leading professional body for estate and letting agents, is urging homeowners and tenants to prepare their homes for the colder months with a few simple maintenance checks that can prevent costly damage and ensure safety and comfort throughout the season. According to Propertymark, winter is one of…
Read More →
Breaking News

London homebuyers have paid nearly £25bn in Stamp Duty over the last decade

The latest research from Jefferies London shows that, as many await news of potential Stamp Duty reform in the upcoming Autumn Budget, homebuyers across the capital have collectively paid almost £25bn (£24.9bn) in Stamp Duty over the last ten years, with buyers in prime central London contributing the largest share by a considerable margin. Jefferies…
Read More →