The National Housing Federation recently reported that 63% of private renters aged 25-44 years old thought they would have bought their own house by now, but with high house prices, stagnant wages and difficulty in raising the deposit money required the only option left open to them is to rent from a Private Landlord.
Home ownership is falling and not surprisingly the number of private renters in England now stands at nearly nine million. For many this is also a lifestyle choice allowing them flexibility to move with their jobs and a choice of which property to live in whilst knowing all their repair bills are taking care of by their landlord.
Private Landlords are now providing the accommodation required by a growing population and they should be encouraged to continue to do so while there is no alternative.
At the same time regulations and checks on Landlords and Letting Agents need to be brought in to make sure that the accommodation provided is habitable, well maintained and fit for purpose.
