Local charity says landlords are passing too many costs to tenants
It comes as a new report says our rental system is broken, with tenants being exploited by rogue landlords.
An Oxfordshire charity says many rental reforms have seen landlords pass costs onto their tenants, and say housing costs are the biggest driver of poverty for working age households.
The comments from Citizens Advice in West Northants and Cherwell come as Britain's broken rental system is laid bare in a shocking new report.
It reveals how tenants are being exploited by rogue landlords - including requests for sexual favours and unpaid work instead of rent.
Pat Coomber-Wood is from Citizens Advice in the county:
"There was quite a lot of change that occurred to regulations around landlords over the last few years and unfortunately some of that incurred costs and the costs of that was not absorbed by the landlords, it was passed on to tenants."
In the last year alone the 'Rogue Landlord Report' shows almost a fifth (18%) of tenants have experienced or been threatened with eviction and three in ten have had to deal with mould and damp (30%). One in seven has battled with pests in their home, while the same amount has found themselves with no heating.
Yet a third (34%) of renters feel unable to ask their landlord or letting agent for support with repairs due to fear of repercussions, like rent increases or even eviction. One in ten experienced an 'informal' eviction threat in the past year while 11% had their landlord or letting agent enter their property without notice.
Nearly half of renters (41%) have been forced to pay for their own repairs because their landlord or letting agent didn't deal with the problem, with 21% paying for repairs more than once, according to the report by Duncan Lewis Solicitors.
As cost concerns and rising rents weigh on tenants, landlords appear ready to exploit vulnerable occupants, with the study revealing nearly one in 17 renters has been asked for sexual favours in exchange for rent. While one in 11 said a landlord requested unpaid work or labour for rent reductions or waivers. More than one in 20 report being asked to provide unpaid care for a reduced rent.
Pat Coomber-Wood says it's a Catch 22 for many low income families as a mortgage would be cheaper, but whilst paying high rents, they are unable to save the money needed for a deposit:
"It is a it's a huge challenge and I think this is one of the the dangers that occurs when a reform or a change is made in one part of the system is that you have to think about the ripple effects it's going to have in other parts of the system.
"So while some of the changes that were implemented around landlords and what is required of landlords are very positive for renters and renters rights. It did come at a cost and and I think that's a cost that a lot of renters cannot afford."
Renters Reform Bill
With the Renters' Reform Bill due to return to Parliament next month, the report comes amid mounting pressure for reform and the bill promising to end "no fault" evictions, create a national landlord register, and deliver greater security and fairness for tenants.
But with no set date for its passage into law, almost five million renters remain vulnerable to substandard living conditions, financial strain, and eviction threats.
As rents rise, wellbeing declines as three fifths (62%) of renters have seen rent increases in the past twelve months, nearly a quarter (23%) have been forced to move due to unaffordability.
Pat says it's hard for working families to move to cheaper areas, as they often don't have the job opportunities:
"Not all landlords abide by regulations around fair increments in their rental charges. So there are parameters that they shouldn't that they should work in and that they should abide by.
"And many do. There are some very brilliant, you know, and really good and and socially minded landlords out there that are really, you know, supporting people who are struggling to get by. But also for many landlords, it's a business and the point of a business is to make profit."
The human cost is stark-30% report increased stress and anxiety, 19% suffer poor sleep, and 18% feel depressed because of their housing situation.
Manjinder Atwal, Director of Housing at Duncan Lewis created the report.
She warns that without immediate legislative action, rogue landlords will continue to exploit loopholes, leaving renters to shoulder the physical, emotional, and financial consequences.