Protest outside Brighton Town Hall against rent exploitation

Members of the Living Rent Campaign, an activist group that calls for improved rent controls, the expansion of council housing and an end to the right to buy scheme, took action outside Brighton Town Hall.

Protesters brought props and signs as they staged the demonstration outside of the town hall.

One protester took on the persona of a “hard pressed tenant” with a baby, while another role played as a landlord asking for a tent. The "landlord" was carrying a Monopoly board. 

One protester roleplayed as a mother with a baby who was impacted by high rent (Image: David Gibson)

The protest took place on Thursday following a cabinet council meeting at the town hall.

The group has put together a petition calling for councils to be given powers to fix rent controls, for investment in council housing and an abolishment of the right to buy scheme. The petition has been signed by more than 2,600 people.

Protesters were calling for an end to the council's right to buy scheme (Image: David Gibson)

Living Rent campaign coordinator David Gibson said: “We are here to highlight how unaffordable living in our city has become, people are being driven away from their home city.

“Two former MPs, Caroline Lucas and Lloyd Russell Moyle, have tirelessly taken up our cause.

“As well as calling for local councils to have the powers to cap rents, we need an end to the loss of council housing through the right to buy.

“Its great that the council are achieving additional council homes but with losses to the right to buy, its like running a bath without the plug, crazy.

“Given the housing crisis, we also need a massive increase in social housing grant to deliver a large number of homes at social/living rents.

“This is a no brainer. For an initial investment in grants, people get truly affordable housing and the government saves in the medium to long term thanks to reduced rent support costs for low income households.”