EASTENDERS are being thrown out of their homes so landlords can cash in on the Olympics, according to evidence amassed by housing charity Shelter and the BBC.


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Flats and houses on short tenancies in east London have seen rent rises of over 1,700% – from £350 to £6,000 a week – forcing residents to move out.

Shelter predicts that landlord price-gouging will increase in the run-up to the 2012 Games in July, but the government aims to let Olympic rentals rip, saying that it wants to “avoid unnecessary regulatory burdens on landlords”, even though the National Landlords Association itself is formally against crazy rent hikes, instead advocating long-term rent agreements.

The opposition Labour Party, meanwhile, wants to regulate the rental market.

“Labour would regulate the private rented sector to drive standards up and rogue landlords out, protecting tenants and the many reputable landlords,” said Jack Dromey, shadow Housing Minister.

Current Tory Housing Minister Grant Shapps got rid of previous regulations covering landlords and letting agents and has dismissed tenant protection schemes as “red tape”.