The National Landlords Association (NLA) has spoken out against a recent Citizens Advice study that claims 740,000 households in England live in privately rented homes that present a severe threat to tenants’ health.

The report says that these properties have category 1 hazards – the most serious of problems. The report also claims that:

• 16% of privately rented homes are physically unsafe – far higher than the 6% in the social rented market.
• 8% of privately rented homes have serious damp.
• 10% pose a risk of a dangerous fall.
• 6% are excessively cold.

However, the NLA claims that this report is misleading and says that its own research found that the majority of tenants are satisfied with their privately rented accommodation.

Commenting on the report, Richard Lambert, NLA’s Chief Executive Officer said:

“We recognise that bad practice exists in private housing, that it can have a devastating effect on those it affects, and that it needs to be stamped out. But this report uses loose definitions to compound a perception that private housing is insecure and unsuitable across the board, and it ignores the weight of evidence to the contrary.”

“The English Housing Survey finds that the average tenancy now lasts just shy of four years, and that only 7% of tenancies are ended by landlords. Our own research shows that 86% of families consider their properties as their ‘home’ and that 62% do not see renting as a barrier to family life. Furthermore just 0.5% of families who rent privately say they’ve had to move because their landlord increased their rent.”

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