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Six in Ten London Tenants Face Daily Living Hazards
This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.
Around six in ten London tenants have to face daily living hazards in their rental properties, according to a study by housing charity Shelter.
The research found that 39% of renters in the capital have to deal with damp or mould, while 26% live in cold homes or have inadequate insulation.
Six in Ten London Tenants Face Daily Living Hazards
Shockingly, a quarter of tenants reported an animal infestation, such as mice or cockroaches.
Even more worryingly, some tenants are being put in danger as a result of unsafe conditions in their rental properties. 14% of tenants have experienced problems with electrical hazards, while one in six live in a home that is poorly secured.
As the average Londoner spends 59% of their income on rent, pressure is mounting for more to be done to protect the capital’s renters.
A quarter of all Londoners rent from a private landlord. However, the private rental sector has little regulation. In 2014, Boris Johnson launched the London Rental Standard to tackle rogue landlords, but uptake is poor.
The Chief Executive of Shelter, Campbell Robb, states: “Every day at Shelter, we hear from London renters who are dealing with appalling conditions and, shockingly, most are paying extortionate rents for the privilege.
“We should all have a place to call home – somewhere warm, safe and secure – but for more than a million Londoners, home is cold, damp and often downright dangerous.”
He urges: “It’s about time London’s 2.5m renters were given a better deal. Renting in the capital doesn’t have to be like this, and the mayoral candidates need to show that they will take action to prevent people from unsafe conditions.”1
Recently, the Residential Landlords Association released its London mayoral manifesto, detailing what it hopes the new mayor will introduce regarding the private rental sector.
It is unsurprising that so many Londoners are forced into private renting, as recent research highlights the spiralling costs of purchasing a property in the capital.
1 http://londonist.com/2016/04/60-of-london-renters-face-rats-mould-and-leaks
