Generation Rent, long critical of buy-to-let landlords, is now raising red flags about the rising Build-to-Rent (BTR) sector in London.

From their analysis, deputy chief executive Dan Wilson Craw warns that while BTR was marketed as a professional alternative to buy-to-let, there are growing concerns over:

• Above-inflation rent hikes and Section 21 evictions in some BTR schemes.
• The risk that private equity investors are putting profits over long-term housing commitments.
• BTR developments commanding higher rents and failing to alleviate pressures on waiting lists or temporary accommodation.
• The need for the Greater London Authority to transparently monitor BTR developers’ adherence to commitments around longer tenancies and index-linked rents.
• Their campaign is also renewing calls to grant mayoral rent control powers, especially for London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Industry Response: BPF & UKAA Step In

Industry bodies have responded with their own perspective on the BTR sector’s role:

British Property Federation (BPF)

• Emphasizes BTR’s positive contribution to high-quality housing supply, noting that ~50,000 BTR homes have been delivered in London.
• Highlights amenities, longer leases, professional management, and more predictable rent growth as benefits of BTR stock (BPF).
• Points to diversity in tenancies, strong Gen Z and public sector interest, and affordability ratios comparable to broader private renting trends (BPF).
• Calls for enabling government policy frameworks to scale BTR development, including planning reforms and unlocking institutional capital (BPF, Landlord Knowledge).

UK Apartment Association (UKAA)

• Supports balanced, evidence-based regulation that upholds high sector standards and fosters tenant and landlord protections (The Association for Rental Living).
• Warns that abolishing assured shorthold tenancies and over-regulation may disincentivize investment and reduce housing supply.
• Highlights high-quality professional delivery, and champions a voluntary BTR Code of Practice covering customer service, maintenance, and tenancy fairness (The Association for Rental Living).

Editor’s Take

This development reveals a growing fault line in housing policy:

Generation Rent’s critique taps into public concern over affordability and investor-driven rental markets. But BTR proponents underscore the essential role of professionally managed, high-quality rental stock—especially under the strain of supply shortages.

As debate heats up, transparency, oversight, and accountability will be key to ensuring BTR fulfills its promise as a constructive force—not just for investors, but for tenants and communities.