Ben Twomey, the chief executive of tenant campaign group Generation Rent, has announced he will step down from the £68,000-a-year role in July – just as the Renters’ Rights Act takes effect in England.
Twomey, who has led the organisation for three years, said the timing felt right to move on with the Act coming into force and housing policy elections looming in Scotland and Wales.
Tenant lobby group seeks new leadership
In a statement announcing his departure, Twomey said he planned to pursue “long-standing interests and projects” he had not previously had time for. Generation Rent has already posted an advertisement seeking his replacement, describing the role as leading “the campaign to fix one of the biggest problems facing people in the UK”.
The job posting seeks “an experienced and compassionate individual” who will work to achieve change across all four UK nations while leading a “fast-paced team at a vital time for legislation and politics around renting”.
Twomey took over from Alicia Kennedy, now Baroness Kennedy, in 2023. Before joining Generation Rent, he served as director of policy and communications at the National Youth Advocacy Service and previously stood unsuccessfully as a Labour crime commissioner candidate.
Shift in tenant advocacy landscape
The departure comes at a significant moment for private renting policy. This follows Landlord Knowledge’s coverage of Generation Rent’s EU-funded rent caps campaign, which saw the group push for restrictions on rent increases after energy efficiency upgrades – a position that drew strong criticism from landlord groups.
Under Twomey’s leadership, Generation Rent has maintained a consistent stance against landlord interests, calling for rent controls and stricter regulation. The organisation has regularly clashed with landlord bodies including the NRLA and lobbied for provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act that many property investors oppose.
What this means for landlords
- Leadership transition: Generation Rent’s policy direction may shift depending on who replaces Twomey, though the organisation’s fundamental stance is unlikely to change.
- RRA implementation: The timing means a new chief executive will lead the group through the critical first months of the Renters Rights Act taking effect.
- Continued lobbying: Landlords should expect ongoing pressure from tenant advocacy groups regardless of personnel changes at the top.
Editor’s view
Personnel changes at campaign groups rarely signal policy shifts – the next Generation Rent chief will likely be cut from similar cloth. But with the RRA bedding in and local elections on the horizon, the organisation faces a test of whether it can remain relevant now that its flagship legislation has passed.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 24 March 2026
Sources: Generation Rent
Related reading: Generation Rent demands rent caps after EPC upgrades in EU-funded campaign
