Rents: Arrears – Parliamentary Written Answer

Mike Kane: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the publication of the Household Resilience Study, Wave 2, what assessment he has made of the reasons that the proportion of private renters in arrears has increased during the covid-19 pandemic.

Eddie Hughes: The latest published data from the English Housing Survey Household Resilience Study from November – December 2020, suggests that 9% of private renters are in arrears, compared to 3% pre pandemic. Of the 9% (353,000 households) in arrears, two thirds are in arrears of less than 2 months, indicating the Government package of economic support measures have effectively prevented a widespread build-up of rent arrears

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2021-06-18/18528

Rents: Arrears – Parliamentary Written Answer

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in the UK in rent arrears after the end of the ban on bailiff-forced evictions on 31 May 2021.

Eddie Hughes: Data from the English Housing Survey (EHS) Household Resilience Study suggested that approximately 9 per cent of private renters were in arrears in November - December 2020. Most renters in arrears, had arrears of less than 2 months.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2021-06-07/11593 

Rents: Arrears – Parliamentary Written Answer

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of households with 4 months’ or more accumulated rent arrears as of 1 June

Eddie Hughes: Data from the English Housing Survey Household Resilience Study November-December 2020 suggested that 1% of private renters were 2 months or more behind. Additionally, approximately 3% of social renters were 2 months or more behind.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2021-06-04/10694

Rents: Arrears – Parliamentary Written Answer

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of renters who in arrears in each region of the UK in the latest period for which figures are available.

Eddie Hughes: Data from the English Housing Survey (EHS) Household Resilience Study November-December 2020 suggests that 9% of private rented households and 11% of social rented households are in arrears.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2021-05-18/2885

Covid Spread As Overcrowding Doubles Among Private Renters In England

The proportion of private renters living in overcrowded homes has doubled during the pandemic, adding to concerns that living conditions helped the virus spread, particularly among ethnic minorities. Figures from the English Housing Survey’s household resilience study found that the proportion in November and December last year was 15%, up from 7% a year earlier. That means more than one in seven private renters are enduring overcrowding, compared with only one in 50 homeowners. Overcrowded housing is believed to be linked to higher rates of coronavirus infection because it makes social distancing and self-isolation harder. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/apr/24/covid-spread-as-overcrowding-doubles-among-private-renters-in-england 

Evictions Could Treble Due To Coronavirus Rent Debts

The number of households made homeless after being evicted for falling behind on the rent could treble if the government does not stop a mounting debt crisis, campaigners are warning. They are calling for the government to suspend evictions due to rent arrears arising from the pandemic, an increase in the amount of and eligibility for housing benefits, and a scheme to clear arrears not covered by the benefit system that would guarantee 80% of landlords’ incomes. Recent polling by the Resolution Foundation found 13% of renters said they were behind with payments to their landlords, compared with about 4% before the pandemic, according to figures from the English Housing Survey. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/01/evictions-could-treble-due-to-coronavirus-rent-debts-activists-warn

2 Million Over-55s Live In Dangerous Homes

More than 2 million people aged over 55 live in homes that endanger their health, according to a report, with older homeowners who cannot afford to maintain their home most at risk. Accidents and illnesses caused by dangerous homes cost the NHS £1.4bn a year, according to Home and Dry, a report by the Centre for Ageing Better and Care & Repair England based on analysis of the English Household Survey. The average non-decent home could be brought up to a decent standard for £2,866. A third of homes could be repaired for less than £1,000. But previous funding to address the problem has been withdrawn, the report says. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/mar/05/2-million-over-55s-live-in-dangerous-homes-say-charities

Youth Homeownership Rising

Following more than a decade of decline, the proportion of 25 to 34-year-olds owning their own home has increased, according to the government’s latest English Housing Survey. In 2018-19, 41% of 25-34-year olds lived in the private-rented sector and a further 41% were owner occupiers. Reports also reveal that, between 2003-04 and 2013-14, the proportion of 25-34-year-olds in owner occupation decreased from 59% to 36%. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/youth-homeownership-on-the-rise-but-national-crisis-looming/

Proportion Of PRS Households Remains Unchanged

The Government has published headline findings from the 2019 English Housing Survey (EHS), which shows that the proportion of private rented sector (PRS) households remained steady for the sixth consecutive year at 19 percent or 4.6 million households. A demographic breakdown confirmed that while the proportion of 25-34 year olds living in the PRS declined from highs of 48 percent in 2013-14 to 41 percent in 2018-19, the proportion of 55-64 year olds relying on the sector increased by three percentage points in the last decade, to 10 percent in 2018-19. Download the report from the MHCLG website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2018-to-2019-headline-report

Majority Of Private Renters Earning Under £30,000 Are Unable To Access Help To Buy

Fewer than two in every 100 private renters that earn under £30,000 have been able to secure their first home under the government’s Help to Buy scheme, according to new analysis from Shelter. The charity has analysed data from the government’s latest English Housing Survey data to reveal that only 4,142 households with incomes of £30,000 or less were successful in securing homes through the Help to Buy in 2018/19, compared with nearly 2.78 million people in this income bracket living in privately rented homes. Read more on Inside Housing.

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/vast-majority-of-private-renters-earning-under-30000-are-unable-to-access-help-to-buy-support-62997?utm_source=Housing60&utm_medium=email&utm_content=article_link&utm_campaign=H60

A Fifth Of English Homes Are Sub-Standard

Research by VeriSmart – a nationwide network of independent property inspectors – has revealed the concerning number of ‘non-decent’ homes in England as per the English Housing Survey. VeriSmart’s research details how almost a fifth of homes in the country (19.5% or 4.5 million) failed to meet the government’s Decent Homes Standard, when taking into account hazards, costs and other characteristics. Private rented homes were found to be the most likely to be ‘non-decent’, with 25% of such properties falling below the expected standard, while the social sector had the lowest proportion of non-decent homes at 13%. Read more on the Property Reporter website.

https://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/property/a-of-english-homes-are-sub-standard.html

Costs Down, Tenancy Length Up In The Private Rented Sector

The proportion of income spent by private tenants on rents has fallen over the past year, according to new official figures. Updated figures in the English Housing Survey, show that tenants are spending less of their income on housing, with this figure standing at 33%, down from 34% the previous year. The updated English Housing Survey report also reveals that the majority of private tenants (84%) are satisfied with the house they rent. This figure is higher than tenants in the social sector, where 80% are satisfied with the house the rent. Read more on the RLA website.

https://news.rla.org.uk/costs-down-tenancy-length-up-in-the-private-rented-sector/

Overcrowding In Social Housing Hits 24-Year High

Overcrowding rates are eight times higher in social housing than with owner-occupiers, hitting the highest level since government records began 24 years ago. Stats in the English Housing Survey show more than 300,000 households squeezed into too few rooms. And more than quarter million households are also living in overcrowded PRS housing – the second highest level recorded since 1996. Shelter, running a cross-party campaign for new social housing, says the stats show a market “full to bursting”. Read more on the MHCLG website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2017-to-2018-headline-report?utm_source=99de3449-d8bb-4723-b29d-0995ca6f8952&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

Private Rented Housing: Evictions – Parliamentary Written Answer

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the number of the tenants that are evicted by their landlord before the end date of their tenancy.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The 2016-17 English Housing Survey found that 10 per cent of private renters who have moved in the last three years have done so because they were ‘asked to leave or given notice by the landlord’. Government is committed to taking steps to make renting more secure. In the private rented sector, we have recently consulted on overcoming the barriers to longer tenancies. We will be responding shortly.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-11-13/190754

More Than One In Ten Privately-Rented Homes Are Unfit To Live In

More than one in ten privately-rented homes in the North East are unfit for people to live in. The properties have what is known as a “category one hazard”, which can include damp and mould growth, a faulty gas boiler, fire risks or excessive cold in winter. Figures emerged as both major parties set out plans to help tenants secure better housing. The statistics, published by Labour, are based on an analysis of the English Housing Survey, which is produced by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. There are 22,452 “unfit” private-rented homes in the North East, 11% of all the private-rented housing stock. Read more on the Sunderland Chronicle website.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/more-one-ten-privately-rented-14857183

What Is The English Housing Survey Telling Us?

Read a very useful analysis of the English Housing Survey from @katefaulkner showing interesting changes in tenure trends https://t.co/DifvP8VPou

More Social Renters Expect To Buy

More social renters than ever expect to buy a home, the English Housing Survey has revealed. According to the survey 30% of social renters expect to buy a property at some point in the future, compared to 26.8% in 2015/16. This figure has been rising gradually since 2011/12, when it stood at 20.3%. Elsewhere in the survey, figures revealed the growth of the private rented sector (PRS), which now accounts for 20.3% of residents in England. A total of 62.6% of residents own their homes and 17.1% are social renters. Download the headline report from the GovUK website.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2016-to-2017-headline-report

What The Future Holds For Older Renters

Most debates around housing focus on young adults, the drastic fall in their rate of home ownership and ways to boost the number of first time buyers. Far less attention, however, is given to the vast numbers of renters who are already too old to get a mortgage and face a lifetime of renting instead. As more of them reach retirement age, the state will start paying more of their rent, and faces enormous costs unless it makes some fundamental changes to the housing market. Using the English Housing Survey, we have projected that by 2035 nearly 1 million households of retirement age will be renting from a private landlord. Currently the figure is 370,000. Download Life in the Rental Market from the Generation Rent website.

Eight Key Findings From The English Housing Survey

The English Housing Survey, commissioned by the CLG, has taken place. Here are the key points to consider.

·         There are an estimated 22.8 million households in England.

·         The private rented sector has had the biggest increase.

·         The proportion of 25 to 34-year-olds renting privately has nearly doubled

·         Private renters move around the most

·         Nearly three-quarters of private renters (73pc) ended their last tenancy

·         Most (89pc) homes have at least one working smoke alarm

·         More than a quarter (28pc) of private rented homes failed to meet the Decent Homes Standard

·         A majority (59pc) of private renters expect to buy at some point

Read more on the Daily Telegraph website.

'Home-Owning Hopelessness'

The Local Government Association said councils need powers and funding to create a mix of affordable housing options, both for renters hoping to save up for a deposit and those looking to buy. The latest English Housing Survey figures show there has been a noticeable increase in the amount of renters that say that affordability will stop them from owning their own home. In 2008/9, the proportion of this group was 56 per cent, compared to 70 per cent in 2015/6. The LGAis also concerned that:

·         One in five (21 per cent) private renters are dissatisfied with their tenure

·         With the average homebuyer expected to pay 7.6 times their annual wages for a home, many renters are locked out of the housing market.

Read more on the LGA website.