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Poor rental conditions trigger mental health issues - claim

A property company claims that 14 per cent of renters are so distressed by their living situation they believe it is causing them symptoms of depression. 

Wayhome says this has increased by more than a half since before the pandemic.

Separately, its survey apparently shows that 13 per cent of tenants say renting has led them to suffer anxiety and 12 per cent report feeling isolated, while 10 per cent are so unhappy with their living situation that it is causing or contributing to broader mental health issues. 

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This is more than twice as common in renters than homeowners, where only five per cent report an impact on their mental health.

Of those renters who said their living situation had contributed to feelings of depression, anxiety, or isolation, or had caused other mental health issues, one in five blamed the fixtures and fittings being in poor condition and one in 10 said their home was the wrong size.

Some 32 per cent said their home wasn’t close enough to their friends and family, 15 per cent don’t feel safe in their local area, and 12 per cent claimed to be far from any local amenities.

Just over a fifth of those renters claiming to be struggling with mental health attributed their suffering to feeling insecure in their current accommodation.

Wayhome says the study was conducted over the course of the last three years and included 1,001 private renters and 1,002 homeowners in 2019, and 1,000 private renters and 1,175 homeowners in 2021.

 

Nigel Purves, chief executive of Wayhome, states: “There are some players in the property market who are ecstatic about the heat of the market over the last year, but they do a disservice to our industry. The UK is facing an affordability crisis, with people trapped in a vicious renting cycle.

“Our research has brought to light just what can happen to those who are continually priced out of homeownership, with cases of depression on the rise and people feeling isolated and anxious. In some instances, people are even putting major life plans on hold until they’re in a home worthy of their family. It’s not good enough.”

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    Reading that those with mental health issues must all be social housing tenants

    Theodor Cable

    And in reality they shoud get a life....!!!!!!!!

     
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    Obviously it don’t matter about Landlords mental health, under unjustified attack from all quarters especially Local Authorities who should be there as servants of the public to serve all not serve one section and despise the other, only ever refer to private LL’s as Rogue LL’s, (how do they get away with that). Who houses millions and forced to pay for Council employees fat Salaries to demean and Criminalise us.

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    Only a fifth of this very small percentage of private renters felt insecure in their current homes, so 80% of this troubled minority still felt secure. The other issues reported were also only felt by a minority of this minority, so the vast majority of private renters have not felt any of these problems. However we already knew this as every independent survey shows a vast majority of private renters to be totally satisfied with their property and landlord.

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