Housing crisis Council calls for more powers to cap spiralling rents in city

BRISTOL City Council has once again called on the UK government to explore introducing rent controls, as the cost of renting in the city continues to spiral.

- Angus MCINTYRE

Bristol has the highest rents of any UK city outside London, according to recent figures from the Office of National Statistics. According to the ONS, it cost £1,893 a month to rent a typical private home in Bristol in the year to January 2026

Renters in the city spend on average well over half their income just to have somewhere to live.

Rent controls are a staple of housing markets in cities such as Berlin and New York and UK mayors Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham have called for them to be considered for London and Manchester, respectively.

Bristol city councillor Barry Parsons, chair of the homes and housing delivery committee, said he would like similar measures to be explored for Bristol.

“Bristol has some of the highest private rents in the country, and they have risen by more than 50% over the past decade,’ he said. “This rapid growth is putting real pressure on residents, contributing to rising housing insecurity and homelessness.