12th
Dec 2024
The recent revelation that over half of landlords in England have increased rents for new tenancies this year has spurred campaigners to call on the government to address rent affordability.
The Renters’ Rights Coalition has highlighted findings from the ‘English Private Landlord Survey,’ published last week.
According to the survey, 58% of landlords have raised rents for new tenants, with 35% of these increases being 15% or more.
Lucy Tiller of the Renters’ Reform Coalition said: “For many landlords it seems the sky’s the limit when putting up rent.”
She points out that unaffordable rent increases can force families to move out of their homes and communities.
Tiller calls for the government to toughen up the Renters’ Rights Bill by capping in-tenancy rent hikes to the lesser of wage growth or inflation.
She also stated that the Bill does not tackle the issue of rental costs, recommending the establishment of a commission to examine rent affordability.
Unsurprisingly Ben Twomey, Generation Rent’s chief executive has also entered the fray stating that the Bill should prevent excessive rent increases that could cause tenants to have to leave their ‘homes’.
He urged the government to "slam the brakes on soaring rents" to provide tenants with some much-needed "breathing space."
The government’s English Private Landlord Survey also shows:
- There has been a big rise in landlords wanting to downsize or sell their property portfolios, with 31% now considering this option compared to 22% in 2021
- Almost half of landlords (47%) own properties with a low energy efficiency rating (D or below), but only 35% of these landlords intend improving their properties’ energy efficiency
- There’s a significant proportion of landlords who are reluctant to rent to tenants receiving housing benefits (38%) or those requiring property adaptations (47%).
- 41% of landlords own their properties outright, with no mortgage debt.
News Archive »