February 19th 2024
Private renting is fuelling a mental health crisis, survey shows
The UK’s private rental sector is causing a mental health crisis affecting millions of people, according to a survey from the London Renters Union (LRU).
Published at the end of last week, the survey found that one in three renters felt that private renting was negatively impacting their mental health, with three in five renters saying they felt depressed about paying their rent. A quarter of renters also said that renting had a negative impact on their physical health.
Issues of poor mental health across the private rental system showed an urgent need for rent control to take the pressure off millions struggling with the cost-of-living, the LRU said.
Three in five renters said that private renting has a negative impact on their financial security, according to the survey conducted by YouGov, with half having had to cut back on leisure spending.
The crisis comes at a time when rents are rising at record levels to all-time highs. More than two thirds of landlords with no remaining debt on their properties have increased rents on new tenancies. Meanwhile, the majority of buy-to-let landlords have focused on growing their portfolios over the last year despite rising interest rates.
While some changes are on the horizon, the delayed Renters Reform Bill abolishing “no-fault” evictions will not tackle the problem of rising rents. Renters will still face the threat of an unaffordable rent hike, forcing many to cut back further on essentials, move home, or become homeless.
In October last year, LRU launched the Renters Manifesto alongside the New Economics Foundation think tank, Generation Rent, and other tenants’ unions. The manifesto called for comprehensive rent controls, as well as a shift towards more public housing. Scotland has committed to introduce rent controls, and Wales is planning to consult on the policy.
An LRU spokesperson said: ‘It is becoming more difficult than ever before to live a good life in the private rental sector. Insecurity from rising rents and the threat of unfair eviction hangs heavy over the heads of all renters, especially those living in areas like London.
‘After the government sold off our council housing, millions of us are now trapped in an extortionate and insecure renting system. It is difficult to put down roots in our communities or plan for the future when you could be forced to uproot your life with little notice because your landlord has raised the rent or served a no-fault eviction notice.
‘A housing system run primarily for private profit is failing to meet our basic needs. We need the government to follow the lead of cities across Europe and act now to control rising rents to take the pressure off millions of struggling renters.’
Image: Aaron Sousa
Only five percent of private rents affordable on housing benefit, report shows
Private renters twice as likely to be in problem debt, report shows