| I don't think London's rental market problems can be solved by startups, at least not beyond what's already been achieved. The Deposit Protection Scheme was introduced in 2007, and that made a huge difference. Landlords could no longer expect to steal deposits. There's already schemes to license landlords renting a "House for Multiple Occupancy", whose definition varies by area. Typically, it's 3 or more people who aren't related to each other. This should be extended to all landlords. I lived in an illegally converted flat for a year, though I didn't realise it. At the end of the year, an inspector from the council appeared, and said there shouldn't be a "37A", "37B", "37C", but just a "37". The house had been converted without planning permission _fifteen years earlier_. 3 million Londoners weren't born in the UK, and in my experience are less aware of the rights they do have. I don't know how to solve that one. But 39% of Tory MPs, and 22% of Labour MPs, are landlords, so I don't expect the situation to change. [1] [1] http://www.theguardian.com/housing-network/2016/jan/14/mp-la... |