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Nearly one in five telecoms mast hosts could see slashed rental income following Labour’s decision to press ahead with controversial reforms.

Rural landowners who have phone masts on their land have demanded a fair deal from fat-cat telecom giants slashing rents by up to 90%.

Government figures seen by the Daily Express confirmed between 12% and 18% of existing telecoms agreements are set to expire over the next decade, meaning thousands of site providers could now face renegotiations under the updated framework.

Landowners and rural groups have repeatedly argued the reforms have undermined incentives to host infrastructure and could damage the rollout of 5G across the country.

Labour’s decision to bring more parts of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act into force from April 2026 means thousands more mobile phone masts and telecoms sites will be covered by controversial rules first introduced by the Conservatives in 2017.

Those rules changed how landowners are paid for hosting vital telecoms equipment.

Cornish dairy farmer Bill Clarke, 71, told how he received £4,800 a year for the mast hosted on his land for 25 years. This has now been slashed to £2,200.

He initially used the money to contribute to the running of his business but then began saving the money as part of his pension.

Bill, whose family has been farming “forever”, called it “terribly unfair”.

He added: “It’s deeply concerning that the Government chose to extend a policy that will now impact up to 20% of all mast holders across the UK.

“I’ve been hosting mobile masts for more than 25 years. Since the 2017 Code came in, the rent on my site has been cut to a level where it ceases to be viable commercially. That income helped cover bills, maintain the land and support my business at a time when many rural firms are already under pressure.

“Site providers are being asked to support better connectivity and economic growth, and I’m proud to do my bit to help expand 5G in rural areas. But if ministers seriously want to speed up rollout, they need a fairer system that encourages cooperation – not one that leaves site providers feeling penalised for hosting infrastructure.

“What’s most frustrating is that people who have supported mobile infrastructure for years are now left with little protection or recourse when disputes arise. Many site providers feel their concerns are simply being ignored.”

A Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spokesman said: “Our priority is to continue delivering high quality digital infrastructure right across the UK, which is critical to boosting growth and improving public services for hard-working communities.

“We recognise the vital role landowners play in helping us achieve our ambition of high-quality 5G coverage across all populated areas by 2030, and we have worked closely with stakeholders throughout this process to ensure the reforms strike the right balance between their needs and the digital connectivity needs of communities.”