Improvements to social housing will be delayed significantly if ministers cap rent rises at 5% next year, according to G15 landlords.
The G15 group, which includes big social housing providers Clarion, L&Q and Peabody, fears that plans to protect England’s poorest households will cost them £3.5bn over the next decade.
They argued instead for the government increase benefits in line with inflation so neither tenants nor landlords are hit.
The G15 said a rent cap would simply delay plans to make social housing safer, greener and more liveable, and reduce the number of homes that can be built.