rivate rented homes are sub-standard, claims Shelter

A third of tenants in England live in homes which are poorly maintained, low quality and too expensive for the quality of life they offer, housing charity Shelter has claimed. It paid YouGov to ask just over 5,000 tenants about their private rented homes and found that 35% said they live in poor conditions, with electrical hazards, pests or damp-related issues in their home. Extrapolated into the general population, Shelter claims this means three million people in England and living in sub-standard rented accommodation, and that 3.6 million (or 43%) say they pay too much for the quality of home they have. “Our homes are our first line of defence in this pandemic,” says Polly Neate, its chief executive (pictured, above).

“But millions have spent months trapped in private rentals they do not trust to keep them safe. And right now, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. “ After decades of decline, a dire lack of social homes means too many people, pay too much for cramped and poor-quality housing. Or worse yet, they find themselves with nowhere to live. With the stakes so high, the case for building decent social homes is clear. ” Shelter is calling on Ministers to provide a further £12.2 billion in funding to build 50,000 additional decent-quality affordable rented homes, proposals which have been analysed by Savills.

“ It is important not to demonise landlords, many of whom have worked closely with their tenants during the pandemic and lockdown to reassure them about the security of their tenancy despite facing considerable financial uncertainty themselves,” says Mary-Anne Bowring, MD at property management giant Ringley.

Nigel Lewis: A third of private rented homes are sub-standard, claims Shelter