Worcester Council has voted to write to Housing Secretary Steve Reed requesting powers to introduce rent controls in the private sector, amid concerns that nearly half of tenants in the city are struggling to afford their rent.
Green councillor leads push for controls
Councillor Alex Mace, a Green Party member, told colleagues that requirements for landlords to meet EPC C ratings and comply with the Decent Homes Standard would create upward pressure on rents as landlords sought to recoup costs from tenants or exit the market.
“Rent controls are far from a panacea – they will not fix the housing crisis alone or overnight – however they are a necessary tool to transition to a housing system which puts people before profit,” Mace said.
He argued that the Renters’ Rights Act would not address housing affordability in Worcester. “Nothing in the Act restricts landlords raising rents in line with market prices which are a function of supply and demand,” he said. “The power imbalance is still with landlords.”
Part of wider pattern
Worcester joins Oxford and Bristol councils in backing calls for local rent control powers. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has led a long-running campaign on the issue, though the Labour government has repeatedly rejected his calls.
The government has maintained that rent controls could reduce housing supply by discouraging investment in the private rented sector, a position reiterated when it quashed regional mayors’ hopes for devolved rent-setting powers.
This marks the third council in two months to formally back rent control calls, following similar motions in Oxford and Bristol. The pattern suggests growing political pressure at local level even as central government holds firm. For context, recent HomeLet data shows rents have actually stalled in February, with tenants already at the limit of affordability – potentially reducing the practical scope for further increases regardless of controls.
Liberal Democrats oppose
Liberal Democrat co-leader Jessie Jagger said the Labour government had taken appropriate steps nationally to protect renters. “Any suggestion of going further is just madness,” she said.
The motion passed with an amendment requiring the council’s communities committee to first assess how the Renters’ Rights Act has affected local residents before writing to the Housing Secretary.
What this means for landlords
- No immediate impact: This is a symbolic motion – councils cannot introduce rent controls without new primary legislation, which the government has ruled out.
- Political pressure is building: Three councils now formally backing controls suggests this won’t go away, even if current government policy holds.
- Watch compliance costs: The councillor’s argument links EPC and Decent Homes costs directly to rent pressure – expect this framing to spread.
- Bottom line: Market forces are already capping rents (tenants can’t afford more). The political debate may be catching up with economic reality.
Editor’s view
The rent control debate keeps returning because councils see tenants struggling and want to do something. But the government’s position is economically sound: caps reduce supply. What Worcester’s motion really shows is frustration that regulation is making landlords’ costs rise faster than many tenants can afford. That tension isn’t going away.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 28 February 2026
Sources: Worcester City Council
Related reading: Khan pushes rent control powers despite government resistance
