“We are returning to Ukraine because we have not found an apartment to rent”

As of March 2023, 222,000 visas have been awarded to Ukrainians fleeing from the war. This Saturday marks the first anniversary since individuals were able to act as sponsors in the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which accounts for 70% of all visas.

Over recent months, Generation Rent worked with the Ukrainian organisation Opora to investigate the experiences of Ukrainian refugees in navigating the UK’s housing sector.

Ukrainians overwhelmingly reported a host of obstacles preventing them from accessing good quality homes. And, those Ukrainian refugees who were able to find accommodation to rent faced various standards and repair issues.

Too many respondents were being presented with three options: become homeless, endure poor quality housing, or return to Ukraine. Clearly, things need to change.

We would like to thank the 325 Ukrainian refugees completed the survey, which ran between 21 November 2022 and 8 January 2023.

Local councils in England found 1,106 private rented homes with dangerous levels of damp and mould in 2021-22, our  research has found. 

4.6 million households who live in the private rented sector (PRS) continue to wait for the Renters Reform Bill to improve the security, quality and affordability of their homes.

In the meantime, the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee have released their report on the White Paper ‘a fairer private rented sector’ giving their view on the proposed  legislation. This is an important step in scrutinising the government’s plans and has raised a number of issues which will shape the debate in the months to come.

Generation Rent supporter Jaime describes what it is like to face a sudden rent increase whilst renting as a family. 

Today we learned that the population of private renters grew by more than 1 million households between 2011 and 2021. 

One in five of us in England and Wales now rents from a private landlord - a huge increase in ten years, while the proportion of the population that owns their home has fallen. 

All that is stuff we had a pretty good idea about already, but for the first time we know where all those private renters are!

Since 2019, it has been illegal for letting agents and landlords to charge tenants fees for starting a tenancy - and for renewing one, and ending one. 

Tenants can challenge illegal fees at a Tribunal, and we recently discovered one of the biggest names in the property world, Foxtons, was ordered to refund tenants whom they charged illegal fees. 

2022 will soon be over so before the year ends we thought it would be a good idea to look back on all the highlights from the past year. 

Half of private renters have faced a rent increase in the last year, Generation Rent research finds today, as we call for the government to impose an emergency rent freeze to fight the cost of living crisis.

England’s housing supply lost nearly 11,000 properties to the second home and holiday let sector between 2021 and 2022, according to our new analysis of local tax data.

Content warning: Sexual offences

Research conducted by Generation Rent and Mumsnet has revealed a shocking prevalence of predatory behaviour, from unscrupulous landlords and letting agents towards tenants, in the private rented sector.

In a survey of 1045 submissions, respondents reported that unscrupulous landlords or letting agents had acted inappropriately or predatorily towards them in the past:

• 4% of respondents had been offered free or discounted rent in exchange for sexual favours
• 14% had experienced suggestive remarks
• 12% heard comments of a sexual nature
• 11% experienced unwanted comments about their body or appearance
• 4% had experienced unwanted touching

And private renters not in a relationship and on lower incomes were significantly more likely to report that they had experienced harassment and abuse.

Housing has always been an important aspect of the fight for racial equality. In celebration of Black History Month 2022, at Generation Rent we are commemorating the work of black campaigners and their fight towards housing equality. However, it is also important to acknowledge how far we still have to go.