Private tenants have shared their experiences of renting homes as part of an ongoing project to uphold good standards in the sector.
Safe Suffolk Renters involves all five of the county’s district and borough councils, working together to improve experiences of the private rented sector for both landlords and tenants.
It worked with national private tenants’ organisation, Generation Rent, to engage with residents of all ages who are private renting, to help Safe Suffolk Renters better understand and evidence some of the various housing issues in the county.
One of the concerns raised around renting was cost – rents are continuing to rise impacting on people’s ability to afford to live in Suffolk.
Three quarters of respondents reported struggling to find an affordable home to rent in their local area, while half of those surveyed reported a rent increase in the last six months, with an average monthly increase of £58.
“My rent has gone up more than £350 in three years, once a year, each time by at least £100. It’s stressful,” said one resident.
Another private renter said: “Our rent has increased by £175 in two years and it is out of our affordability but is currently less than market value so we just have to get on with it.”
Rent wasn’t the only issue. The majority of respondents reported issues in their home which required landlord attention at some point, but less than half experienced a successful resolution, and most had to either fix the problem themselves (26%) or allow the problem to go unresolved (30%).
One renter said: “When it rains, one wall started having mould. We sent the landlord pictures, and he said to open the windows. We used a dehumidifier and left window open all day and the heating is on. But nothing changed. Then he said, he is selling property, and we have to move.”
Another said: “I fear for my partner’s health as a result of the damp and mould in this home. I can hear their shallow breathing, and it scares me. The landlord tried to address the draughts with cardboard flaps. I’m having to put the heating on so much more because of the poor insulation, it’s really expensive. I can’t believe how unprofessional this landlord is.”
Safe Suffolk Renters is looking to carry out even more proactive and targeted inspections using other evidence at its disposal, to improve this issue.
National issues around security of tenure were equally prominent, with the continued threat of Section 21 no-fault evictions leaving some hesitant to make complaints or ask for repairs.
“We live with repairs needing doing but I’m frightened to be on the (landlord’s) radar in case they raise our rent even more or evict us,” said one resident.
Another said: “The landlord refused to do any repairs and threatened us with eviction.”
The Renters’ Rights Bill seeks to address this with the end of no-fault evictions, and by empowering tenants to challenge unfair rent hikes, as well as for landlords to rent a property that meets a decent homes standard and is free of hazards.
The engagement work also highlighted that issues in the private rented sector affected older people as much as younger generations.
East Suffolk Council Cabinet member for Housing, Cllr David Beavan said: “The majority of Suffolk landlords provide good quality accommodation – and this report highlights both positive and negative experiences for renters.
“Safe Suffolk Renters works with landlords and tenants to support solutions to poor housing conditions and enable self-regulation, while bringing to light landlords who do not engage and improve their properties. It’s important to protect renters from housing insecurity risk arising from existing and emerging factors.”
Cllr Richard O’Driscoll, Cabinet Member for Housing at West Suffolk Council said: “We need homes that are affordable, available and provide decent living standards for our residents. Rising rents both in the private rental market and so-called affordable housing are having an impact on people’s ability to afford a place to live which in turn has seen more people threatened with homelessness. And we know from this engagement with tenants and other evidence gathered, that there are issues around poor living conditions and homes not being kept up to a decent standard of repair. This in turn leaves residents exposed to cold, damp and other hazards that can only be damaging for their health and wellbeing which is why the work of Safe Suffolk Renters is so important.
“There are of course many good landlords as well. West Suffolk has just adopted a new Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy and we recognise that we need to be working closely with more private landlords, and we have a very effective landlords forum. We also work closely with developers, housing associations and more, to tackle the many housing challenges faced by our residents.”
Cllr John Cook, Ipswich Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Communities and Sport, said: "Private renters in Ipswich, like those across Suffolk, deserve access to safe, affordable, and good-quality homes. This initiative has been a positive step in understanding the challenges faced by tenants, from rising rents to unresolved repair issues and concern around reporting poor landlord behaviours. Ipswich Borough Council remains committed to working collaboratively with fellow Suffolk councils to improve housing standards, empower renters, and support responsible landlords who play a key role in our community."
Alongside providing advice and support to landlords, the project will continue empowering local private renters by communicating information on their rights.
Ben Twomey, Chief Executive of Generation Rent, said: “The experience of Suffolk renters is now out in the open. Despite the relative advantage of more affordable homes compared to the surrounding area, tenants in Suffolk are under threat from rising rents, a proliferation of short term lets, and the risk of eviction even if they have done nothing wrong.
“Generation Rent welcomes Safe Suffolk Renters’ proactive efforts to recognise these trends and is confident that the project will lead to more empowered tenants living in better homes. It has been a pleasure to partner with them on this project.”