Fewer people living in rented accommodation

There has been a notable decline in the number of people living in rented accommodation, new research suggests.

An independent study carried out by Usurv, on behalf of Cover4LetProperty, found that 31% of the adult population were living in private or social rented property last month, down 7% since April 2017.

The study also revealed that 28% of private renters said their last rental rise was over a year ago, while just 8% said their last rent increase was within the last six months.

Many of the anti-landlord policies introduced over the last two years are now starting to impact private landlords, leaving many with little alternative but to increase rents. This partly explains why 29% of renters reported that at their last rent rise, the amount increased by up to 5%, while 11% saw a hike of between 6% and 10%.

The research also revealed that slightly more women (34%) live in rented accommodation compared to men (28%), 8% of Brits live with friends and family, 6% of respondents had recently moved back home citing “financial reasons”, while 22% of Britons living at home do not pay rent.

Richard Burgess, director at Cover4LetProperty, said: “While we hear about ever -increasing costs of living, property pricing and rent rises, it is interesting that our survey shows that it is not strictly the case with nearly a third of people surveyed saying they had not had a rent increase for over a year. And of those that did, again these were small rental increases. This tells us that landlords are working with tenants and not simply using them as a way to pass on increases in taxation like some commentators suggest”

Want to comment on this story? If so...if any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals on any basis, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.