Corbyn takes on sky-high private rents
Tuesday 26 February 2013
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EmailLabour MP Jeremy Corbyn presented a parliamentary Bill today to tackle "ludicrously high" rents and insecurity which plague Britain's private tenants.
The Islington North MP demanded "comprehensive regulation" of the private-rented sector, which covers 17 per cent of the people of Britain - and up to one-third of inner-city dwellers.
"Rent levels are absolutely stupendous," he said. "I have constituents coming to me who face a £100 difference between their benefit level and their rent."
Mr Corbyn told MPs: "I have come across a case where someone who was able to buy a council flat under right-to-buy some years ago at a very heavy discount is now letting the flat at £600 per week."
Good landlords would have nothing to fear from his proposed Bill, "but there are many people who make ludicrously excessive profits," he declared.
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