Harriet PriceZack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, has been confirmed as the party's candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election on 8 October 2026 — the seat vacated by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer. With polls placing the Greens just 4.9 percentage points behind Labour (31.0% to Labour's 35.9%, according to PollCheck), the race has catapulted Green housing pledges into national debate, forcing renters, landlords, and legal professionals alike to ask: what would a Green surge actually mean for your tenancy?
The Holborn and St Pancras Race: What Is at Stake
The constituency is one of the most politically significant in England. Labour won the seat at the last general election with a majority of more than 11,000 votes. Starmer's resignation as MP triggered the by-election, and Labour has selected Camden Council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali as its candidate. Polanski was chosen by Green members after an event at Kings Place in King's Cross on 11 September 2026.
Fifteen candidates are on the ballot, but the contest has rapidly narrowed to a Labour-Green battle. The Greens' strength in Camden is not new — the party has grown steadily in inner London boroughs — but standing the national party leader directly against Labour's local machine raises the political stakes far beyond one parliamentary seat. A close result, or a Green win, would dramatically reshape the housing debate at Westminster.
And housing is precisely where Polanski has drawn his sharpest lines.
Green Party Housing Policy: Rent Controls at the Centre
The Green Party's 2026 campaign has placed rent controls at the heart of its offer to voters. Polanski has repeatedly argued that Labour's housing agenda — even after the Renters' Rights Act came into force — has failed to shield tenants from rising costs.
The Green platform calls for an immediate cap on rent increases, limiting any rise to no more than the rate of CPI inflation, as measured by the Office for National Statistics. The party also advocates for a longer-term move towards social rent — rents calculated as a proportion of local incomes rather than market rates — and a major expansion of council housing.
According to the Green Party, Camden alone has over 17,000 households on its social housing waiting list. In the wider London context, average rents for a one-bedroom flat in the borough have risen sharply, with private renters in central London among the most financially squeezed in England.
These are not abstract policy positions for Holborn and St Pancras residents. The constituency covers some of the most expensive private rental streets in London, and the campaign has already generated significant local discussion about what legal protections currently exist — and what might change if Green pledges were ever enacted.
What the Legal Landscape Looks Like Right Now
For renters, the most relevant recent change is the Renters' Rights Act, which introduced major new protections from 1 May 2026. Section 21 "no-fault" evictions were abolished, giving tenants greater security of tenure. Landlords must now cite a specific legal ground to end a tenancy, and periodic tenancies have replaced fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies as the default.
What the Renters' Rights Act did not do is cap rents. A landlord can still raise the rent — they simply must give proper notice via a Section 13 notice and allow the tenant to challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). If a tenant believes the proposed rent is above the market rate, they can apply to the tribunal to have it assessed.
This is exactly where legal advice becomes valuable. Many tenants are unaware they have a formal right to challenge rent increases, and many landlords are uncertain how the tribunal process works — particularly after changes introduced alongside the Renters' Rights Act. A solicitor or housing law specialist can help both sides understand their position and navigate any dispute.
The Green Party's proposed rent controls would add a new layer on top of this framework: an automatic cap on how much rents could rise each year, regardless of market conditions. If enacted, this would fundamentally alter the calculation for landlords considering rent increases, and give tenants a statutory argument against any notice that exceeded the cap.
A Concrete Case: What Rent Controls Would Mean in Practice
Consider a private tenant living in a two-bedroom flat near King's Cross — a realistic scenario for many Holborn and St Pancras residents. She signed a tenancy in 2024 at £2,200 per month. Her landlord has now issued a Section 13 notice proposing to raise the rent to £2,450 per month from November 2026 — an increase of £250/month, or roughly 11.4%.
Under current law, she has two options: accept the increase, or apply to the First-tier Tribunal to contest it. The tribunal will assess whether £2,450 is a fair market rent for a comparable property. Given rising rents in central London, there is no guarantee she would succeed.
Under the Green Party's proposed CPI-linked rent cap — if it were already law — the situation would be entirely different. If CPI inflation at the time of the notice stood at 2.5% (the ONS target midpoint), the maximum permissible increase would be approximately £55 per month, bringing her new rent to no more than £2,255. The proposed £250 increase would be unlawful. She would have a clear statutory right to refuse it, and a solicitor could write to the landlord citing the cap without needing to go near a tribunal.
This is the practical difference between the current framework and the Green proposal: one requires you to argue your case; the other sets a ceiling in law. For tenants on fixed incomes or those already stretching budgets, the difference is substantial.
When You Should Be Consulting a Legal Expert
The by-election has arrived at a moment of genuine legal flux for renters and landlords. Even without Green rent controls — which remain a policy proposal rather than law — there are several situations right now where professional legal advice is essential.
If you have received a Section 13 rent increase notice, a housing solicitor can tell you whether the proposed amount is within market rates and whether an application to the First-tier Tribunal is likely to succeed. The tribunal process is more accessible than many tenants assume, but preparing a strong case requires an understanding of local comparable rents and the correct procedural steps.
If you are a landlord seeking to recover possession of your property, the abolition of Section 21 means you must now rely on one of the statutory grounds in Schedule 2 of the Housing Act 1988, as amended. Incorrectly served notices or reliance on the wrong ground can delay proceedings significantly. A solicitor can review your situation and ensure any notice is legally watertight before you serve it.
If you are a tenant unsure whether you are on a periodic or fixed-term tenancy following the May 2026 changes, legal advice can clarify your current position and explain what notice you are entitled to before any change to your agreement.
If either party is involved in a tribunal dispute, specialist representation — even at an early advisory stage — can make a meaningful difference to the outcome.
The UK government's official guidance on private renting sets out your basic rights and responsibilities, but it cannot replace tailored advice on your specific situation. Legal rules around tenancies interact with the individual facts of each case in ways that general guidance cannot anticipate.
What Comes Next
The Holborn and St Pancras by-election on 8 October 2026 will not by itself determine whether rent controls become law. But a strong Green result — or a Polanski victory — would significantly increase the political pressure on Labour to address the cost of renting more directly. Housing lawyers, tenant advisory services, and landlord associations are already watching the result closely.
Whatever the outcome, the underlying legal landscape for renters and landlords in England is more complex than at any point in the past decade. The abolition of Section 21, the introduction of periodic tenancies, and the live political debate around rent controls mean that both tenants and landlords who do not have a clear picture of their rights are exposed to avoidable financial and legal risk.
Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and regulations may change. If you are involved in a tenancy dispute or need guidance specific to your circumstances, consult a qualified solicitor or housing law specialist.
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