Zack Polanski to call for three-year cap on private rent rises
In his speech to his party's conference, the Green leader will frame housing as a key issue of generational fairness.
Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, is scheduled to propose a three-year cap on private rent increases during his address to party activists at the Green Party conference in Brighton. The proposed cap would limit private rents to the lowest of the consumer price index, wage growth, or 2% for a period of three years.
Polanski aims to present housing as a critical issue of generational fairness during his speech. The Green Party conference is the largest the party has ever hosted, with its membership having tripled since Polanski took the helm over a year ago. Polanski is also expected to highlight how the pressure from his party has led Labour to shift its stance on some issues.
The Greens have long advocated for fair rent guarantees to prevent landlords from hiking prices beyond wages, leaving renters to cut back on essential expenses. However, Polanski believes the current Renters' Rights Act, which allows landlords to increase rent annually to market rates, falls short of addressing the fears and uncertainties faced by millions of private renters in the UK.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has cautioned that rent controls could lead to unintended consequences, such as demand exceeding supply in the rental market. The Green Party conference comes after the party made significant gains in local elections and secured its fifth MP in the Makerfield by-election. However, its rise in national polls may have leveled off, and the party faces challenges in response to Labour's recent leadership changes and shifts in political direction.
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