“Freeze rent not people”

Adam Price MS calls on Welsh Government to freeze rents and ban evictions this winter

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price has today called on the Labour Government in Wales to announce a winter rent freeze and reintroduce an eviction moratorium.

Ahead of First Minister’s Questions today (Tuesday 27 September), the Leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price MS, has stated that the “renting market in Wales is broken”.

Mr Price notes that rises in inflation, and a flawed housing system in Wales has meant that rent rises are higher in Wales than anywhere else in the UK except London, according to figures released by Zoopla this year.

Mr Price has also called on Mark Drakeford and his Labour Government to use its devolved powers ban all evictions this winter as an emergency measure, in much the same way that evictions were banned during the pandemic.

The Scottish Government has already made a commitment to suspend evictions and freeze rents – and this latter power has been requested by London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price MS said,

“An important lesson was learnt during the pandemic: Homelessness could be ended overnight. All it needed was the political will. Now, in the face of a cost-of-living crisis, I’m calling on Welsh Government to apply that same will this winter to ban evictions.

“Beyond evictions, Welsh Government must look again at freezing all rents and provide support for those struggling to pay their mortgage due to rising interest rates. It’s already been labelled as a winter of discontent due to rocketing costs – Welsh Government must use all the powers at its disposal to protect the people most vulnerable to its cruel embrace.

“We need rents to be frozen, not people, who risk being unable to afford to heat their home, or worse, be forced out on to the street. Welsh Government has the power to stop this happening – they should use it.”