One of five people vying for selection as Labour’s candidate in the 2016 London Mayoral election says private sector rents can rise – but only in line with the retail price index.

Christian Wolmar, an environmental journalist, is standing against Labour MPs Diane Abbot, Sadiq Khan and David Lammy, as well as former MP Tessa Jowell, in a bid to win the party’s nomination.

Wolmar’s manifesto says “annual rent rises will be allowed within the longer tenancies, capped at RPI level” and he repeats the Labour mantra that “Rip-off letting fees to tenants will be banned” although he does not specify how this may impact the private sector in other ways, such as being passed on by landlords in the form of possible higher rents.

He also says the London Rental Standard – introduced last year by the current Lanour Mayor, Conservative Boris Johnson – will be “reviewed and strengthened following consultation to protect renters and help landlords and agents offer a quality service to Londoners” although with no detail in the manifesto as to what this would mean.

Wolmar says he will also, as Mayor, set up a Rogue Landlord Taskforce “to ensure that London boroughs, and others with enforcement powers, have the information and tools to educate and deter rogue landlords who break the law and put Londoners at risk.”