Green Party leader proposes three-year rent increase cap

Zack Polanski, the new leader of the Green Party, has proposed a three-year limit on private rent increases in England and Wales. He made the announcement at the party's conference in Brighton on Friday.

Under the plan, landlords could only raise rents by 2%, by the rate of inflation, or by the rate of wage growth, whichever is lowest. Polanski said the measure would give renters financial relief while the government works on a longer-term solution called a Fair Rents Guarantee.

He described housing as a fairness issue between generations. Private rents in the UK have risen much faster than wages, forcing many renters to spend less on other basic needs. Polanski has led the Green Party for six months.