Labour to Tackle the Great Rental Rip-Off

Ed Miliband is pledging a crackdown on "rip-off letting agents" after a Labour survey found that new tenants face up-front fees averaging almost £1,000 – before they even start to pay rent. The Labour leader is calling for mandatory regulation of the lettings market amid growing complaints that companies are piling unjustified fees and charges on to tenants and landlords. A Labour analysis of 91 letting agencies in England found that tenants have to pay an average of £902 in up-front charges, including deposits, administration fees and the cost of checks on references and creditworthiness.  The demand for tougher controls is the latest phase of the party's blueprint for shaking up the private rental sector, and freeing it from "rogue landlords". Read more on the Independent website.