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A charity claims 15 per cent of private renters believe they face eviction this winter.
Homelessness charity Crisis polled 2,000 people - not all of them private renters - and found that 29 per cent claimed they would skip meals this winter to afford housing costs, while 30 per cent were behind on payments for one or more of their financial commitments.
Some 37 per cent claimed they would not be able to afford to heat their home this winter and amongst those who are privately renting some 15 per cent believe they risk eviction this winter.
Crisis is warning that without urgent action, Britain faces the very real prospect of a huge spike in homelessness as pressure piles on households.
The same poll found the 71 per cent noticed their overall household spending had increased in the past 12 months, and 58 per cent expecting those costs to reach an all-time high this winter. Just over half said they would not have a place to live in if they lost their home for whatever reason.
Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, says: “As we approach Christmas, the outlook across Britain is extremely bleak. People are being forced out of their homes because of unaffordable housing costs. They’re enduring freezing conditions, going without food and unable to visit family because their budgets simply don’t stretch that far.
“The uncertainty of not knowing whether you will still have your home in another week or month is hugely damaging to people’s health and wellbeing. We’ve heard about the loneliness and sacrifices people are forced to make to try and keep a roof over their head, like pawning treasured possessions. This is the cruel reality for thousands, and it must change.
“Everyone should have a safe and settled home, but the UK Government is failing Britain’s poorest households. Despite some positive action on homelessness in recent years, it is nowhere near enough amid rising evictions and more and more people needing help with cost of living. The tide must turn if we are to prevent homelessness, but this can only happen if the genuinely affordable homes we desperately need are built and the UK Government invests in housing benefit to cover the true cost of rent.”
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When you look at all the problems Tenants and Landlords face . The housing shortage or the abuse we take as Landlords financially and the scapegoating all roads lead straight back to the people we chose to govern us. I like many need to put more thought when putting a cross in the box.
We need a campaign that everyone jumps from Tory to Reform or something else. To get rid of the Tories and keep Labour out.
Not wishing to point fingers… but… it’s the government’s fault 😱😱
its not just renters who are struggling this winter - many home owners will be making the same tough decisions, particularly those with mortgages that are going up hundreds of £ each month. Yet no-one is blaming the BofE for their difficulties!
They are not at risk of Eviction if you stop attacking Landlords, yes if THE WHITE PAPER continues and scrap Section 21 why would we not want to Evict.
We have done more for Tenants than any Charity and never appreciated, I think I’ll keep my £29.07.
I have standing orders to four charities.Main stream Politicians will not tell you what they stand for because nobody will vote for them. The economic policies of virtually all politicians since Ted heath have been completely mad. Since cameron they have copied Blair and will now pay the price ! Lord Faulkner, Blairs chum describe covid as the gift that keeps giving.
Tenants are actually more protected from cost of living rises than homeowners. Rent can only be increased at the end of a fixed term tenancy agreement or annually and if the tenant thinks the increase is excessive they can apply to a Rent Tribunal for a determination. Mortgages can increase far more and far more frequently.
Seven increases in 2022 and payments nearly 3 times as much as they were 10 months ago.
At least a tenant can approach the Local Authority and get help with budgeting or apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment. Some will find they are actually entitled to a UC top up which they have never claimed.
Regarding heating cost fears the government need to mandate all utility companies to produce accurate statements every time meter readings are submitted. Some already do but others such as EDF only produce a statement every six months if customers are on a fixed monthly DD. The customer has no way of knowing if the DD is too little or too much until the statement eventually turns up. How many people will spend the winter freezing due to fear of a big balancing payment bill only to receive a massive refund in a few months time?
Do the government or any housing charities have any idea about how much impact Section 24 is going to have when landlords reach the end of their current fixed rate mortgages? Low interest rates have masked the issue up to now but there's soon going to be a situation where landlords are paying 40% tax while making a loss.
EDF are useless. I have argued with them multiple times regarding their stupid DD system.
Anyway...just an FYI...you can ask for an ad-hoc bill to be generated at any point in time and they will do it.
Only 15% facing eviction with that white paper and EPC 'C' just around the corner ? I think that figure will be much higher than that
"amongst those who are privately renting some 15 per cent believe they risk eviction this winter."
So basically a total guess, based on what a sample of tenants thought. Why would tenants think this unless they have rent arrears or already causing problems?
So the actual figure could be a lot more, or could be less.
In any case I'd suggest a much bigger problem for the less well off is energy bills and food prices not rent increases!! Surely they can't expect landlords to reduce rent to compensate for food and energy prices?
We aren't going to see food or energy prices drop, ever.
The trouble is that the only people who read this and know about this is us.
The press, tv/radio, politicians, celebs etc. Even if they care - which is hardly likely - they do not understand.
Item on Radio 4 talking to a very nice couple with children -"So you are being turned down for rental properties because you have children?" (paraphrase). It's not because they have children - it's a numbers game - probably at least 30 people apply for each property - so statistically it's 30 to 1.
We're selling up (me included after 30 years and 11 properties) and none of them see the connection.
Excellent post, and spot on.
A problem I've encountered is prospective tenants not understanding about overcrowding. Rental laws are very prescribed about how many children can share a bedroom and what permutation of age and gender is allowed. Homeowners don't have any of those requirements.
People will apply for a 2 bedroom property because they can just about afford it but have sufficient children to require a 3 or 4 bedroom property, which they are going to fail affordability referencing on. If we let them overcrowd we risk a big fine and going on a rogue landlord register. If we don't let to them we're accused of discriminating against families with children.
I'll pick the discrimination charge over the over crowding charge Jo
I wrote to Radio 4 You and Yours and explained the history of S21 and issues from S 24 onwards - asked them to use info as source material and start asking why - and surprise surprise - no response snd no inclusion or use of info! I genuinely think they are only interested in attention grabbing soundbites not real journalism
@Pauline, I've seen comments from Vanessa Warwick of Property Tribes on here before.
And she's close to Ben Beadle of the NRLA, having regular monthly Webinars together, so I'm sure (I hope) our messages on here get to him too.
Would be so nice if they occasionally came on here to comment.
FFS, both Property Tribes and the NRLA have hundreds of thousands of members (me included). We could be quite a strong voice together, with the right leader....
Problem is the Whole financial situation, not just rents. EVERYTHING has increased and nothing can effectively be price-capped. - without detrimental supply consequences.
York Council have 40% of tenants in arrears.
The calls for rent-capping are smoke-screens and tinker, ... just the like the Gove'ment have been doing with housing with catastrophic results for years, - Its just all coming to a head now with the other financial pressures.
I can see things getting very nasty in the new year with violent protests on the streets, the '' Grove'ment'' (I like that) only have themselves to blame
In Scotland rents and rising by over 12% for new tenancies and the rent freeze for continuing tenancies has led to a huge reduction in availability and up to 900 potential groups of renters chasing a single property.
Lots of warnings available for Shelter, Acorn, Generation Rant etc. about how to harm decent landlords and tenants but of course they will all be ignored!
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