Shelter’s response to Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Conference speech
Shelter’s response to Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Conference speech which included a proposal to introduce rent controls.
Polly Neate, Shelter CEO, said: “There is a growing debate about the crisis facing those who rent, with families facing rising bills and insecure lets. Shelter supports controls that lengthen tenancies and protect families from unfair rent rises but not old fashioned rent-setting which we think could end up harming the very people on low incomes they’re meant to help, if and when landlords sell their properties.
“After the horrific tragedy of the Grenfell fire we believe it is absolutely essential to listen to tenants in a meaningful way and we hope the Labour Party will deliver on their promise to do so.
“With too many Britons struggling in an extremely expensive private rented sector, we welcome Labour’s pledge to unfreeze housing benefit for the young so they can afford their rent but the situation is absolutely desperate for over a million others who this proposal would leave in a benefits freeze that is creating a real and immediate danger of being made homeless. We hope Labour will pledge to unfreeze housing benefit for the many and not just the young.”