Sadiq Khan asks for power to freeze rental prices

Image by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket/MyLondon via Getty Images

After Liz Truss’s appointment yesterday as the new prime minister, London mayor Sadiq Khan has urged her to give him powers to freeze rent in the city where many are struggling due to the cost of living crisis.

Khan told The Independent, “With the spiralling cost of living already hitting those on lower incomes the hardest, it’s essential that the government take urgent action to help make ends meet.”

“That means immediately introducing a pandemic-style package of welfare support targeted directly at those on lower incomes to help them survive this winter, prevent inequalities growing further,” he added.

Khan revealed his intentions to private rents for the next two years as rental prices in London have risen by 12 percent, which is three percent higher than the national average, as per the data collected and analysed by Hamptons Estate Agents.

Truss had pledged to do something about the crisis within a week once elected. The former Foreign Secretary told Laura Kuenssberg on BBC One a few days before winning, “Within one week I will make sure there is an announcement on how we are going to deal with the issue of energy bills and long-term supply,” she said.

Millions of people across the country face the possibility of not being able to turn on their heating systems during winters as energy bills are said to rise to approximately £3,500 for the average household. It is being reported that the energy prices will go even higher in the New Year.

“I will act immediately on bills and on energy supply because I think those two things go hand in hand. We need to deal with the immediate problem, we need to help people. We need to help businesses. But we also need to sort out the supply issues,” Truss had promised.