Hi everyone, I'm back in touch about #MakeRentingFair because it’s the London mayoral election tomorrow. London is the centre of the housing crisis and, as a result, has become a city of renters in recent years. Housing is a big issue for Londoners. This petition hit a quarter of a million supporters this morning. This is an exciting move forwards for us. Thanks for your support! Last week The Debrief’s editor, Rebecca, and I went to meet with Labour's Shadow Housing and Planning Minister, Teresa Pearce MP about this campaign to end unfair letting fees for renters. Teresa said: "Private renters up and down the country are facing extortionate and ever-increasing letting agent fees. At the last General Election, Labour made it a manifesto commitment to end unfair and extortionate letting fees, and we will continue to work towards that goal." "In London, Labour's Mayoral Candidate Sadiq Khan is proposing a London-wide not-for-profit lettings agency which may help private renters in the Capital avoid extortionate fees." "I was really pleased to meet with Vicky Spratt and The Debrief to discuss the campaign they have been running. Vicky's petition to ban rip off fees gained signatures at an amazing pace. That is because renters and their families all know that the private rented sector is rigged against them and that Letting Agents are a big part of the problem” "I urge the government to act now on unfair letting fees.” I also met with all of the candidates for Mayor of London and interviewed them to try and find out what they stand for ahead of tomorrow’s election. Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrats’ candidate, is in favour of a end to letting fees, it is Lib Dem party policy nationally. Caroline was supportive of our campaign. The Green’s candidate, Sian Berry, is also in favour or scrapping the fees, and was supportive of our campaign when I met her. Sadiq Khan, the Labour candidate for Mayor, said: "Of course I support the Make Renting Fair campaign. I want to see an end to unfair letting agency fees and have made this one of the central pillars of my campaign to become London Mayor." "As Mayor I’ll establish a London-wide not-for-profit lettings agency that will end rip-off fees, drive up standards in London’s rental sector and provide greater stability for tenants.”" You can read the interviews with mayoral candidates here: http://www.thedebrief.co.uk/news/politics/london-mayor-who-should-i-vote-for-20160463187 We’ll be back in touch after the election to let you know how we’re planning to move forwards on this. Thanks again, Vicky & The Debrief