There is broad agreement that Britain’s housing system is in a deep crisis.

Rents are now at an all-time high. Prospective tenants increasingly find themselves having to bid for properties, pay months of rent upfront, and engage in lengthy “audition” processes to prove they are worthy enough tenants to get a property. Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to get myself a tenancy in South London by having my name pulled out of a hat. Renting, once the fallback option for those who can’t afford a deposit or secure a social tenancy, it is becoming more like a luxury.

Across England, over a quarter of a million people are homeless. The number of people trapped in temporary accommodation is now at its highest point for nearly two decades. Millions of renters are faced with mold and other serious hazards, with 14 percent of homes classified as “non-decent.” Figures from Shelter in 2021 found that the health of one in five renters is being harmed by poor housing and that four million people report cutting back on essentials to pay for housing costs. With rents soaring over the last year, these figures are unlikely to be representative of the peak of the current housing crisis.