More private renters in South Yorkshire thought to be 'living in despair'
It's over issues like mould and damp according to a new study
It's thought many private renters across South Yorkshire are 'living in fear' - as some feel 'too frightened' to complain about things like damp inside where they're living.
A new study from Shelter suggests tenants who complain are more than twice as likely to be given an eviction notice - compared to those who say nothing.
Sarah Robinson from Citizens Advice in Doncaster says it's an issue they're seeing get worse:
"Landlords can evict the tenant eventually, or they can harass them and make it very unpleasant for them.
"We're seeing clients that are getting intimidated more often these days.
"Others come to us because they're just too terrified to approach their landlord and complain.
"People are living in damp, cold homes and just putting up with it out of fear.
"It's just adding to all their other problems in the cost-of-living crisis.
"It can also have a detrimental impact on their physical and mental health."
Due to the lack of regulation in private renting, millions of tenants across the country are trapped in a ‘catch-22’ situation whereby they either put up with poor conditions, or risk being kicked out for complaining.
Shockingly, a quarter of private renters (25%) – just over 2 million people - have not asked their landlord for repairs to be carried out or conditions improved for fear of being evicted.
Meanwhile, private renters who complained to their landlord, letting agent or local council in the last three years were two and a half times (159%) more likely to be handed an eviction notice than those who had not complained - according to the new research from Shelter.