A survey of 1,004 Britons living in private rented sector housing, commissioned by Generation Rent and conducted by ComRes, has uncovered the extent of the crisis affecting Britain’s nine million private renters. As this number continues to grow, more tenants are being affected by problems in this largely unregulated sector.
The high cost of rents is the number one concern for those in the private rented sector. More than half (52 per cent) say their biggest problem as renters is the current cost of rent. Expensive rents are eroding their quality of life, with 39 per cent saying that they have had to limit heating their property because of the cost of rent, while 33 per cent say that they have had to cut back on food.
For two thirds of private renters, there is no alternative: 67 per cent of renters – around six million people – say that the main reason they rent is because they cannot afford to buy their own property.
Despite high costs, conditions remain poor for many private renters. One in three (33 per cent) say they are living in properties with unacceptable dampness. And renters feel landlords often fail to care about this: around a third (35 per cent) say that their landlord does not seem particularly interested in their living conditions.
The survey was carried out on behalf of Generation Rent, the campaign for professionally managed, secure, decent and affordable privately rented homes.
Generation Rent is campaigning to end the multiple problems that private renters face – involving high rents, poor conditions, short-term and insecure tenancies and mistreatment by landlords and letting agents.
It is calling for a national register of landlords, licensing of letting agents, minimum conditions as a prerequisite of letting as well as longer, more secure tenancies and more affordable privately rented homes. Generation Rent has received a grant of £725,000 from the Nationwide Foundation, which supports organisations working to create decent, affordable homes.
Alex Hilton, director of Generation Rent, highlights that across the country, high rents are hitting private tenants who have no alternative while home ownership remains unaffordable.
“With millions having to cut back on essentials like food and heating, it is clear that rents are a large cause of modern human misery. Our poll also shows that even with such high outgoings, renters still too often face problems with the condition of their homes.
Politicians can no longer ignore the millions who are stuck renting and feeling ripped off. The government need to help build many more affordable, privately rented homes, and bring in national minimum standards as a precondition of letting.”
ComRes interviewed 1,004 British adults living in private rented housing online between 25th February and 3rd March 2014, for Generation Rent. Data were weighted to be representative of all GB adults living in private rented housing.
