David Cameron has said in Parliament that he is concerned about letting agents’ fees.

In an exchange with Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, who represents Islington North in London, Cameron also said he would not consider introducing rent controls.

Corbyn put forward a private member’s Bill last year aimed at regulating letting agents.

In the House of Commons, during Prime Minister’s Questions, Corbyn claimed that high rents had led to “social cleansing” in London.

He said: “Across London there are thousands and thousands of families, people that work, people on benefits, who are frightened of the rent increases, frightened of short-term tenancy and frightened of the consequences for themselves and their children of being evicted or forced to move out of the areas in which they live.

“It’s social cleansing that’s happening in central London and it’s coming to the rest of the country.

“Can he [Mr Cameron] give me any assurance that in addition to any regulation of the agencies there will be serious consideration about the need to bring back rent control in this country to protect people to ensure they have somewhere secure and decent to live?”

Cameron replied: “I would agree with the honourable gentleman that there is a need for greater transparency for the work of letting agents in terms of fees.

“Where I would part company is with the idea of introducing full-on rent controls.

“Wherever they’ve been tried they’ve failed, and that’s not just my view, it’s the view of Labour’s shadow housing minister.”