COUNCILLORS are set to call for restrictions to be placed on increases in private rent.

A motion will be put to Brighton and Hove City Council tonight by Green councillor Bill Randall calling on the council to put its support behind campaigns to limit how much private landlords can increase their rent.

The call comes as research from housing charity Shelter showed that someone renting privately in Brighton and Hove is paying an average of £959 a month compared with £359.68 for those renting via a housing association.

Speaking ahead of the full council meeting later tonight, Coun Bill Randall, who chairs the housing committee, said: “The Green party believes that rent controls are needed to prevent rents spiralling even further out of control, and to give stability and security to tenants and landlords.”

But Conservative housing spokesman Coun Garry Peltzer Dunn said introducing rent controls would be a disaster for residents.

He said: “State intervention in the housing market has been shown time and time again to choke off the supply because landlords just end up selling their properties or stop renting them out. This would be disastrous for residents here, no doubt forcing many to many out of the city.”

Labour's housing spokesperson Chaun Wilson added: “We support measures to improve stability and security for tenants in the private rented sector.”