The increase in rent over the past 18 months or so on private landlord properties has reached an all time high. This even includes families with young children now sleeping on the street which was recently highlighted on mainstream news. Letting agents are encouraging landlords to raise  rents in larger amounts per increase than they have done so in previous years. It is incredible that a room in a shared house is now beyond the reach of many many people. Full time workers are sleeping in their cars, on friends sofas, turning to "van life".  Local councils are not helping  Some are offering landlords guaranteed high rents, taking over care of the property, but these properties are not being offered to the people who cannot afford these huge increases. The current state of the rental market is beyond belief  A cap on is needed on rent increases of no more than 10% per year. This cannot go on.