Through the roof: rising rents, disrepair, and evictions
Through the roof: rising rents, disrepair, and evictions 2.73 MB
Private renters are at the sharp end of the living standards crisis, facing a perfect storm of ever-increasing rents, damp, cold and mouldy homes, and very little power to do anything about it. We’re urging the new government to prioritise renters when tackling the living standards crisis.
We’ve found:
More than half (52%) of private renters have faced a rent increase in the last year - with 1 in 5 facing a monthly hike of more than £100, and 11% having to find £200 or more.
A third of renters have had to use credit and other borrowing to pay their rent
While rents are rising fast, quality isn’t. Even in summer, 40% of renters, or 4.3 million people, are living in a home with mould or damp - including 1.16 million children.
More than 1 in 3 renters living with disrepair say it’s increased their energy bills, and 1 in 10 are being pushed into debt with their supplier as a result.
A lack of security means renters are silenced into accepting unaffordable or unsafe homes - more than a third of renters facing disrepair didn’t challenge their landlord about it - half said it was because they were scared they’d face a rent hike or get evicted.
This mirrors what our advisers are seeing every day. We’re helping:
Rising numbers who are struggling with rent increases - up 107% on this time last year
Rising numbers with disrepair - we helped 7,000 people last winter with damp, cold and mould issues, up 9% on Winter 2022/23
Rising numbers facing eviction and homelessness - we’re helping 100 people every day with a Section 21 issue, up 22% on last year. And we’ve helped 70% more private renters with homelessness this year than in the same period pre-pandemic, and 15% more than last year
Ultimately more social housing is needed - as too many low income renters are forced to unaffordable homes, often in terrible disrepair. But there are also steps the government can take today to ease the pressure on renters and build the foundation for a more secure, more high quality rental sector.
The new government has committed to improving quality and security for renters, including implementing Awaab’s Law in the private rental sector and bringing forward long-awaited renter rights legislation. This is a good start - building on its commitments, government should:
Help renters manage spiralling rents by keeping support linked to real rent prices. Local Housing Allowance should be linked permanently with the current lowest 30% of market rents and the Shared Accommodation Rate should be abolished or at least reformed.
Make privately rented homes safe to live in and more affordable to run. As well as implementing Awaab’s Law in the PRS without delay, ensure all homes meet a minimum energy standard of EPC C, including raising the cap on landlord investment to £10,000.
Close all loopholes to ensure a watertight Section 21 ban. Government has committed to bringing forward renters rights legislation including a Section 21 ban. It needs to make sure this ban is absolutely watertight to give renters the confidence they need to challenge disrepair - including deterrents and safeguards to stop any new possession grounds being abused and making it safer and simpler for renters to challenge rent hikes at tribunal to stop these being used as a section 21 by the backdoor.