Islington Council convened on Thursday, 10 July 2025, to discuss a motion aimed at bolstering support for the borough's private renters, who constitute over a third of Islington's households. Councillor Jenny Kay, the Private Renters Champion, proposed the motion, seconded by Councillor Shreya Nanda, highlighting the challenges faced by this significant portion of the community, including affordability and substandard housing conditions.

The motion, detailed in the Motions to Council - 10 July 2025 - Updated document, calls for the council to:

  • Defend and expand existing licensing schemes, ensuring safe, decent homes for all renters.
  • Rigorously enforce the Islington Private Rented Sector Charter, working with tenants, landlords and organisations to uphold its principles.
  • Campaign for stronger national reforms to protect renters' rights, including the abolition of Section 21, rent controls, and greater powers for councils to inspect properties and penalise rogue landlords.

The council also resolved to publish an annual report tracking rental values, enforcement action, and tenant engagement to inform their work on supporting private renters.

Councillor Kay emphasised the urgency of the situation, noting the relentless rise in rents, which reached an average of £2,700 per month in May 2025. She expressed concern that Islington is approaching a dangerous tipping point where only the wealthy can afford to rent in the borough. She also highlighted the plight of renters enduring damp and disrepair, often staying silent for fear of retaliation.

Councillor James Potts spoke in support of the motion, sharing his personal experience as a private renter in Islington for ten years. He noted that he has spent tens of thousands of pounds on rent, enriching his landlord while being denied the opportunity to own a home. He stated that the system is broken and that housing should be a foundation of security for all, not a source of profit for the few.

Councillor Ernestas Jegorovas-Armstrong, from the opposition group, also voiced support for the motion, emphasising the need to expand the selective licensing scheme. The selective licensing scheme currently covers Finsbury Park, Hillrise, and Tollington, and there is a proposed expansion to nine additional wards including Barnsbury, Caledonian, Tufnell Park, Mildmay, Highbury, Junction, Laycock, Canonbury and Clerkenwell.

The council ultimately carried the motion, signalling a commitment to prioritising the needs of private renters in Islington.

The Islington Private Rented Sector Charter sets out clear expectations for landlords and support for tenants.