The Green Party has set out a proposal to limit rent increases in the private sector for three years. Under the plan, landlords would be able to raise rents only by the lowest of three measures: inflation, wage growth or 2%.
The proposal places rental affordability at the centre of the party's housing agenda, but it has drawn criticism from industry bodies representing property owners and the wider housing market.
Those groups argue that rent controls can weaken investor appetite and constrain the delivery of rental homes. They point to experience in Scotland and other international markets as evidence that tighter limits may reduce investment and available housing supply.
The debate underscores the trade-off facing policymakers: protecting tenants from sharp rent rises while maintaining conditions that support private capital and the development of new rental stock. The policy was reported by Property Wire.
