Calls for rent caps to tackle rogue landlords from senior Gateshead Council bossA call for rent caps has come from a senior elected member of Gateshead Council to tackle rogue landlordsView Image To-Let signs (Image: Coventry Live/Tristan Potter)A senior Gateshead Council boss has called for the introduction of rent caps to help tackle rogue landlords. The call comes amid the formulation of Gateshead’s anti-poverty strategy and new regional funds to drive down poverty. ‌Gateshead Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, Coun Catherine Donovan, has called on lobbying to introduce rent caps to protect vulnerable tenants in private properties. This comes as statistics from the North East Combined Authority (NECA) has revealed that 30% of children throughout Durham, Northumberland, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland are living in relative poverty after housing costs. There is a reference in the plan around the Mayor lobbying for more powers and funding to take on rogue landlords, at the moment she does not have that power.”Article continues belowGateshead Council has expanded its own power recently to tackle rogue landlords including the widening of its landlord licensing scheme.