Complaining tenants are ‘twice as likely’ to be evicted – Shelter claims

A private tenant who complains to their landlord about the state of their property is more than twice as likely to be evicted than a tenant who does not complain, the homeless charity Shelter says.

The organisation has carried out research and found that a renter who has complained to their landlord, local council or letting agent in the last three years were two and a half times (159%) more likely to be handed an eviction notice.

Shelter says that ‘due to the lack of regulation’ in the private rented sector (PRS), millions of tenants are trapped in a ‘catch-22’ situation which sees them putting up with poor conditions – or risk being evicted if they complain.

It says that 25% of tenants – just over 2 million people – say they are too afraid of being evicted to ask for repairs or for conditions to be improved.

‘Dragging its heels on the Renters’ Reform Bill’

Shelter’s chief executive, Polly Neate, said: “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.”

Ms Neate continued: “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.”

76% of private renters have experienced disrepair

The research from the charity also reveals that 76% of private renters in England – equivalent to more than 6.2 million people – have experienced disrepair in their home.

And 51% say they have had issues with damp and mould, while 31% had issues with lack of hot water or heating.

Also, 18% had electrical hazards or issues with essential safety equipment in their homes, like smoke or carbon monoxide alarms.

Advice pages on disrepair now being accessed every 18 seconds

Shelter says the research backs-up what they are hearing through its services and its online advice pages on disrepair are now being accessed every 18 seconds – that’s up 53% in a year.

Now the organisation says that the ‘government’s unfulfilled promises’ to reform private renting are leaving ‘millions of people trapped in dire conditions’.

Tenants are also powerless to do anything about those issues, Shelter says, without risking eviction.

It wants the government to urgently introduce the Renters’ Reform Bill to end ‘unfair evictions’, drive up standards in the PRS and ‘hold landlords to account for poor behaviour’.

‘No renter should have to put up with unsafe housing’

Ben Beadle, the chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), said: “No renter should have to put up with unsafe housing.

“It is important that they have the confidence to challenge poor standards where they see them.”

He added: “There are almost 170 laws affecting the private rented sector, including those protecting tenants from so called ‘revenge’ evictions.

“Councils need to make better use of these powers to protect renters from rogue and criminal landlords.”

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