Reed said he wanted to be “crystal clear” that no form of rent cap is being developed, directly contradicting interpretations of recent comments by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Earlier this week, Reeves declined to explicitly rule out action on rents, prompting reports that a temporary, one‑year freeze had been discussed as part of wider cost‑of‑living measures. Some coverage linked the debate to economic pressures associated with the conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking on Times Radio, Reed dismissed both the policy idea and suggestions that the government’s messaging was politically motivated. Asked whether Reeves’s remarks were intended to blunt support for the Green Party ahead of May’s elections, he replied: “No. I think I’ve just been crystal clear, we’re not doing it.”

His intervention reflects growing scrutiny of Labour’s housing stance, with ministers now attempting to close down speculation that more interventionist rent measures could be under consideration.

Reeves, outlining the government’s broader cost‑of‑living approach on Tuesday, highlighted steps already taken on energy prices, fuel duty, prescription charges and rail fares. She said she would “use every lever” available to support households, including those in the private rented sector, and pointed to the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act.

She added that while mortgage holders had seen rates fall since the government took office, ministers were determined to ensure the Middle East conflict “does not result in our constituents being poorer.”

Responding to questions about the chancellor’s phrasing, Reed said: “You’d need to ask her about the particular language she may have used, but she was probably referring, I would guess, without having been there, to the fact that we’re changing the law to give renters additional rights.”

Industry body Propertymark welcomed Reed’s unequivocal stance. Timothy Douglas, its head of policy and campaigns, said evidence from across the UK — particularly Scotland — showed that rent controls “deter investment, constrain supply, and decrease choice for many tenants.”

He warned that wider economic pressures were already affecting landlords and that further intervention risked pushing the sector “to the brink of collapse.”

Douglas said the UK government should instead prioritise measures that encourage investment in the private rented sector to meet current and future demand. “It is vitally important that there is a joined‑up approach and government departments are working together to deliver this,” he added.