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Future of London's private rented sector on the agenda

17 July 2012

London’s private rented sector now comprises around 850,000 homes and is playing an increasingly important role in housing low-income and vulnerable households. 

For most people it provides a flexible housing option, but for those with little choice it can be less satisfactory.  What improvements and interventions are needed to ensure all tenants in this growing sector get a decent standard of living?

Members of the London Assembly’s Housing and Regeneration Committee will tomorrow question a range of experts on how the private rented sector has changed, the role it will play in the future, and how quality, affordability and security can be improved.

The session will help shape the Committee’s review of London’s private rented sector[1], which will seek to identify options the Mayor, boroughs and government should pursue in order to deliver genuine improvements for tenants.

Committee Members will question the following guests:

  • Anne Baxendale, Public Affairs Manager, Shelter
  • Robbie de Santos, Private Rented Sector Policy Lead, Shelter
  • Chris Norris, Head of Policy, National Association of Landlords
  • Andy Hull, former Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) Senior Research Fellow
  • Karen Shaw, Housing Needs Manager, LB Lewisham
  • Neil Wightman, Chair, Association of Housing Advice Services and Head of Housing Need, LB Lambeth

The Housing and Regeneration Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, 18 July 2012 from 10am in the Chamber at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).   Media and members of the public are invited to attend.   The meeting can also be viewed via webcast.

Notes for editors:

  1. Tomorrow’s session and the review build on the Assembly’s previous work on property conditions in the private rented sector. See our report: Bleak Houses: Improving London’s private rented housing (Dec 2011)
  2. Full agenda papers for the meeting.
  3. Len Duvall AM, Chair of the Housing and Regeneration Committee, is available for interview.  See contact details below.
  4. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

For more details, please contact Dana Rothenberg in the Assembly Media Office on 020 7983 4603/4283.  For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.  Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit, Greater London Authority, on 020 7983 4100.