Demonstrators have gathered in London to protest against the capital’s “soaring” rents.

Rising rents are destroying communities, said organisers the London Renters Union (LRU) .

They said the event comes amid a growing wave of renter-led demonstrations across Europe to highlight the impact of high rents and to demand controls.

LRU said up to 500 people marched through central London on Saturday, on one of the biggest shopping days of the year, to protest “against soaring rents” and “exploitation” of tenants.

Freelance theatre worker Jamie Campbell, 46, said that rent rises have made it difficult to cover the cost of living in Lewisham, south-east London.

He said: “My landlord increased our rent year on year, going from £1,225 to £1,700 since the pandemic. That’s a nearly 40% increase in just a few years.

“I couldn’t afford this so I was forced to find a new place.

“House-hunting felt almost impossible, going to dozens of viewings only to get endless rejections.

My landlord increased our rent year on year, going from £1,225 to £1,700 since the pandemic. I couldn't afford this so I was forced to find a new place

“It took a huge toll on my mental health, whilst already in the acute midst of a personal life crisis. I found myself at my very lowest.

“It shouldn’t be this hard to simply attain the human right of finding a home in the city where I work. The system needs to change and change now.”

London was the English region with the highest rent inflation in the 12 months to October 2024, at 10.4%, according to recent Office for National Statistics figures.

This annual rise was higher than in the 12 months to September 2024, 9.8%, while there was a record-high annual rise of 11.2% in March 2024.

With the average London rent hitting £2,172 per month, according to official figures, many people are being pushed to the brink as they try to cover the cost, the LRU says.