
High rents prevent tenants from enjoying the quality of life they would have in other tenures. On top of this, speculation by landlords in the property market has made it harder for renters to escape high rents, and also takes investment out of productive parts of the economy that might otherwise build homes or create jobs.
While the government has reformed the tax system to discourage speculation, there remains an urgent need for investment in house building that would reduce private rents and ensure that more homes are affordable to people on low incomes.
We have proposed a number of initiatives that could help build affordable homes and fund them:
Alongside rents, other housing-related costs such as energy bills add to the burden on many renters. Fuel poverty affects 1 in 5 private renters - that means that the cost of heating their home adequately would pull them below the poverty line. The most effective way of combating fuel poverty is to make energy efficiency improvements to homes typically occupied by those on low incomes, many of whom are in the private rented sector. Generation Rent works with the End Fuel Poverty Coalition to campaign for government action on this.
The cost of moving can also be made cheaper. Banning letting agent fees to tenants would lower the cost of moving, making the lettings market more efficient and forcing agents to compete for landlords' business instead of creaming off fees from captured tenants. (READ MORE)
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Got a question? Email us [email protected]
If you’ve got a question about your rights as renter, check to see if we’ve already answered it on our Know Your Rights page.
If you’re a journalist, click here.
Reach the team:
Bismah Naqui – 07498926134
Nye Jones – 07590720116
Generation Rent is the operating name of the National Private Tenants Organisation Limited. | We are a Company Limited By Guarantee, registration number 08731888. | Generation Rent, c/o Read Milburn, 71 Howard Street, North Shields, NE30 1AF
Let us know using the form below, and we’ll try to find out
Generation Rent can’t offer advice about individual problems. Here are a few organisations that can:
You might also find quick but informal help on ACORN’s Facebook forum, and there are more suggestions on The Renters Guide.