Homes For London has a petition to get whoever is elected next Mayor of London to do something about the awful private rented sector in London with increasingly unaffordable rents (according to Shelter you now need a household income of £52,000 per year including benefits to be able to afford a 2 bed flat in many London boroughs; england.shelter.org.uk/news/march_2012/london_rents_unaffordable ), the lack of protection for tenants, lack of security of tenure, basically it is just very poorly regulated and Homes for London want something done before there is a full blown crisis. Because properties are so expensive and mortgages harder to get than ever for first time buyers, people are being forced to rent with almost 1 in 4 of London households now in the private rented sector.
The petition is here; homesforlondon.org.uk/
Please sign it if you want something done about the predicament of London's private sector renters!