Shelter claims that private renters who complained to their landlord, letting agent or local council in the last three years were two and a half times more likely to be handed an eviction notice than those who had not complained. 

The charity paints a picture of desparation in the private rental sector claiming that “millions of tenants are trapped in a ‘catch-22’ situation whereby they either put up with poor conditions.”

And it says that 25 per cent of private renters have not asked their landlord for repairs to be carried out or conditions improved “for fear of being evicted.” 

The campaigning charity goes on to say that 76 per cent of private renters in England “have experienced disrepair in their home” while 51 per cent had issues with damp and mould; 31 per cent had issues with lack of hot water or heating; and 18 per cent had electrical hazards or issues with essential safety equipment in their homes, like smoke or carbon monoxide alarms. 

Chief executive Polly Neate says: “By dragging its heels on the Renters Reform Bill, the government has left private renters in a terrible catch 22 – they either shut up and put up with disrepair, or risk more than doubling their chances of eviction in a cost of living crisis.   

“Day in day out Shelter hears from people who are forking out huge sums on rent while living in nightmarish conditions because private renting is woefully under-regulated. It is a travesty that so many private renters are too afraid to complain about the mould growing all over their kids’ clothes, or the water pouring in through broken window frames, in case it costs them their home.  

“Renters are bearing the brunt of government dithering over urgently needed private rental reforms. Renters can’t wait any longer, the government must urgently make its Renters’ Reform Bill law to protect tenants who call out poor conditions from unfair evictions and homelessness.“