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The US likes to think of itself as a deregulated, capitalist country, but still has a large amount of regulation (largely state not federal it seems). In the UK

The US likes to think of itself as a deregulated, capitalist country, but still has a large amount of regulation (largely state not federal it seems). In the UK rent control was abolished by Thatcher in 1980, and while there is occasional talk of reintroducing some controls the basic premise seems unlikely to change.

joeblau 12y ago
Not all cities are like this and a large swath of the citizens in San Francisco seem exasperated by this issues on both sides. I had a friend who lived downtown by Union Square in a rent controlled apartment. The day he moved out (across the country) he couldn't even afford his own place to re-rent it out. It was pretty crazy.
frandroid 12y ago
Surely there are some cities where there is rent-control in the UK? It's only SF that has this, not "the US".
- justincormack 12y ago
  No, it was abolished for the whole country, cities have no ability to impose it (in fact they have very little power to do stuff). (doesn't New York still have rent control?)
  - tedunangst 12y ago
    NYC has not just rent control, but rent fixed apartments. Which leads to a rentocracy where people inherit 1500/mo leases for 10000/mo apartments and all manner of tricks and lies to make it happen. And then building owners install electronic locks to record visits and prove residents are only living part time in their apartment.
- DanBC 12y ago
  There is something called the local housing allowance rates. http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/info/200008/benefits/565/local_housing_allowance_rates http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/info/200008/benefits/565/local_... A landlord can charge what they like, but if they want people on benefit to be able to afford the property they should price it near the LHA rates. There are some restrictions on sudden increases once you've got a tennant, but the landlord could just evict the tennant. England has the balance mostly right (I'd prefer some slighty stronger protections for good tennants and fiercer penalties for terrible tennants).
lotharbot 12y ago
> "The US likes to think of itself as a deregulated, capitalist country" Virtually all people in the US recognize that it's not. Some people think that's a positive; others think it's a negative. Many of the most significant issues in US politics are about whether we should enact new regulations, retract old ones, or revise them in place.

joeblau 12y ago

Not all cities are like this and a large swath of the citizens in San Francisco seem exasperated by this issues on both sides. I had a friend who lived downtown by Union Square in a rent controlled apartment. The day he moved out (across the country) he couldn't even afford his own place to re-rent it out. It was pretty crazy.

frandroid 12y ago

Surely there are some cities where there is rent-control in the UK? It's only SF that has this, not "the US".

justincormack 12y ago
No, it was abolished for the whole country, cities have no ability to impose it (in fact they have very little power to do stuff). (doesn't New York still have rent control?)
- tedunangst 12y ago
  NYC has not just rent control, but rent fixed apartments. Which leads to a rentocracy where people inherit 1500/mo leases for 10000/mo apartments and all manner of tricks and lies to make it happen. And then building owners install electronic locks to record visits and prove residents are only living part time in their apartment.
DanBC 12y ago
There is something called the local housing allowance rates. http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/info/200008/benefits/565/local_housing_allowance_rates http://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/info/200008/benefits/565/local_... A landlord can charge what they like, but if they want people on benefit to be able to afford the property they should price it near the LHA rates. There are some restrictions on sudden increases once you've got a tennant, but the landlord could just evict the tennant. England has the balance mostly right (I'd prefer some slighty stronger protections for good tennants and fiercer penalties for terrible tennants).

lotharbot 12y ago

> "The US likes to think of itself as a deregulated, capitalist country" Virtually all people in the US recognize that it's not. Some people think that's a positive; others think it's a negative. Many of the most significant issues in US politics are about whether we should enact new regulations, retract old ones, or revise them in place.