More help needed for landlords to adapt homes for older and disabled

Too little is being done to help landlords access funding to adapt their property to meet the needs of older or disabled tenants, says the National Residential Landlords Association.

It warns that the proportion of private rented households with someone aged 65 or over living in them has increased by almost 45 per cent over the last decade according to new analysis of government data.  

Around a million private rented households in England have someone living in them with a long-term illness or disability yet despite this, official data shows that 25 per cent of all private rented households which require adaptations say their accommodation is not suitable to meet their needs.

This trend has been driven by a substantial increase in the number of older private renters over the course of the past decade. 

Government data shows that between 2009/10 and 2019/20 the number of private rented households with residents aged 65 or over has increased by 44 per cent.

Tenants and landlords are eligible for financial support, including through the Disabled Facilities Grant, which funds necessary adaptations of properties. However, a survey of landlords has found that 79 per cent did not know that DFGs existed. 

Once they were made aware, 68 per cent said they would be more willing to make adaptations where required.

The NRLA calls on local authorities to work with collaboratively to raise awareness among landlords of the financial support available to make the adaptations that many tenants need. 

Likewise, it also suggests landlords consider how to ensure their properties meet the growing needs of tenants requiring adaptations. Moreover, it says landlords should recognise the important market that now exists for such properties.

Meera Chindooroy, Deputy Policy Director for the National Residential Landlords Association comments: “With rapidly growing numbers of older and disabled renters we need to do much more to ensure they, and their landlords, have the support needed to ensure homes are fit for purpose.

“Although financial support to make adaptations is available, it is not being advertised anywhere near enough to local landlords by councils. We call on them to work with the NRLA to raise awareness of the help available to ensure that private rented homes are best equipped to meet the needs of all tenants who want to live in them.” 

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