Manjinder Kaur Atwal, director of housing law at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, said: “A rent freeze might sound like a quick win for tenants, but it risks creating bigger problems down the line if it’s not backed by wider reform.
“We’ve seen before that blunt measures can shrink supply, as landlords leave the market or hold back investment – pushing rents even higher in the long run.
“That said, the pressure on renters is very real.
“Our recent research in our own Rogue Landlord Report shows nearly one in five tenants have been threatened with eviction in the past year, while 30 per cent are living with damp or mould – a sign of how stretched and uneven the sector has become.
“If the government wants to make a genuine difference, it needs to focus on long-term fixes – boosting supply, cracking down on rogue landlords, and making sure the Renters’ Rights Act delivers meaningful protection.
“Without that, a rent freeze risks being more of a headline than a solution.”
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