Leader of the Wales Green Party, Antony Slaughter, says its election manifesto has outlined how rents would be frozen for a year.
9th Apr 20260 293 1 minute read Myra Butterworth
Rent controls will be introduced in Wales, one of the nation’s political parties has outlined in its manifesto for the Senedd election.
The Wales Green Party said it would freeze rent for a year before giving councils powers to apply caps on what tenants pay.
It also wants to replace council tax, replacing it with a tax based on the value of land rather than property.
Its leader Antony Slaughter said the party wanted to help bring down the cost of living.
Housing shortagesRent controls are widely considered detrimental to the economy as they can create housing shortages, reduce rental quality and discourage new construction.
The measure can also disincentivise landlords from maintaining properties or offering new units, and can encourage tenants to stay put rather than move – something that can reduce the overall supply of rental homes.
The Greens say opinion polls show they are on course to get candidates elected to the Senedd for the first time in the history of Wales’ Parliament.
Everyone has a right to a safe, warm, affordable secure home. That isn’t the case for so many people.”
Slaughter said the manifesto outlines how the party will “turn people’s lives around and make a better, fairer future for everyone”.
“The cost of living crisis is paramount,” Slaughter said, which he said “all starts with housing”.
“Everyone has a right to a safe, warm, affordable secure home. That isn’t the case for so many people. It is so precarious, especially for younger people.”
Rent freezeThe party said it would introduce a one-year rent freeze, which will be followed by a system that would allow the Welsh Government to approve local authority “rent pressure zones”. In these zones, rent caps would apply to keep housing affordable.
Rent increases would only be permitted “where landlords deliver genuine improvements to homes, particularly upgrades that improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions”.
The Greens also promise to ban no-fault evictions, where tenants are moved out of properties for no given reason. They are already banned in Scotland and will be banned in England in May.
TagsAntony Slaughter elections rent caps rent controls Wales Green Party 9th Apr 20260 293 1 minute read Myra Butterworth Share Facebook X LinkedIn Share via Email