NRLA slams Citizens Advice for ‘misleading’ report

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has criticised Citizens Advice for over-egging rental default levels due to coronavirus. 

Research carried out by Citizens Advice suggests that some 2.6 million private renters have missed a rent payment, or expect to do so, as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

But the landlord association says that Citizens Advice’s claims are a long way wide of the mark and irresponsible. 

The association points out that Citizens Advice appears to have extrapolated this figure from just 25 renters who said in a survey that they are behind on their rent because of coronavirus and 74 who say they expect to be behind. This comes from a generalised survey of just 2,016 adults across the whole of the UK.

Chris Norris, policy director for the NRLA, commented: “Clearly there are many tenants facing difficult times as with all sections of the community, including landlords, but speculating about serious issues based on minimal data does nothing to support or help those in need.

“It is a crude simplification and potentially very misleading to extrapolate figures from such a small sample.

“Whilst the overwhelming majority of tenants are continuing to pay their rents in full and on time, we continue to call for greater support for those who are struggling to pay. 

“This should include ensuring benefits cover entirely the cost of people’s rents where they need it and scrapping the five week wait for the first payment of Universal Credit.”

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