Halstead points out that the continuous rise in property management and maintenance costs has led to soaring rental levels, creating a lose-lose situation. Tenants are struggling to balance their wages with high rents, while landlords are facing challenges such as defaults and vacancies. With the proportion of rental expenditure continuing to rise, this situation has become unsustainable. Therefore, he urges the government to take more regulations targeting the entire real estate industry to alleviate the current housing crisis.

The continuous rise in house prices nationwide has led to an increase in rental expenditure, requiring tenants to pay millions of pounds in additional rent each year. Although there have been instances of rent decreases in some areas, overall rental levels in the UK are slowly rising again. In the Southwest, rents have grown by 1.7%, equivalent to £19 million, while in the Northeast, they have grown by 5.72% annually, equivalent to £10 million.

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Halstead further points out that while the government has been supporting homeownership schemes, we cannot ignore the nearly five million people still living in rental properties, not everyone is able or willing to purchase properties. Many tenants prefer flexible leasing options, and for most people, the cost of buying a property in the UK remains a huge burden, even with 95% mortgages, the average cost of a property is £264,400, which most people cannot afford.

Therefore, the challenges currently faced by the rental market highlight the need for further measures to safeguard tenants' rights, stabilize rental levels, and promote the healthy development of the real estate market. The government and relevant departments should work together to formulate more comprehensive policies to address the current housing crisis, ensure a balance of interests between tenants and landlords, and drive the rental market towards a more sustainable and stable direction.