Less than one-fifth of renters feel secure in their tenancy

A house key resting on a tenancy agreement contract.

Almost half of renters do not feel secure in their tenancy, new data from the housing charity Threshold has found.

Just 18% of those who responded to the charity's We Are Generation Rent survey for 2023 said felt secure, a drop of 20% from last year.

Close to half (48%) stated they were insecure in their accommodation, which Threshold noted was a "steady" year-on-year increase from the 2022 total of 44%.

Threshold chief executive John-Mark McCafferty explained that the feelings of insecurity among renters in the last few years is “unsurprising”.

He said: "We are continuing to see an exodus of small landlords from the private rental sector, leaving high volatility in the market.

"We welcome the Government’s recent initiatives to maintain renters in their homes via the Tenant -in-Situ scheme and the increased delivery of social, affordable and cost-rental housing. 

However the issue at large remains the sale of properties by small landlords. 

"It is imperative that those wishing to sell see a benefit in selling to Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies and that any incentives provided to retain small landlords in the market improve security for renters."

Half of renters were found to be paying more than 30% of their income on rent. 

Almost one-fifth of those surveyed were found to be spending over half of their income on their rent.

Other key findings of the survey included: 

• 59% are renting as they are unable to afford their own home;
• 12% are renting as they are unable to access social housing; 
• 17% of people are renting by choice;
• 61% aspire to own their own home in the next five years, but only 39% expect this to become a reality;
• 31% of renters expect they will still be renting in five years' time.

Mr McCafferty added: This crisis in the rental sector is leaving no area of society untouched.” 

The Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien will launch the report on Wednesday afternoon.

He said that the findings provided a "much-needed insight into the sentiment from tenants with regard to the private rental sector."

Speaking ahead of the launch, Mr O'Brien said: "We know from every independent survey of renters that the majority want to own their own home – this report is further emphasis of that. 

We know that we must develop more housing, of all kinds, and significantly scale up the delivery of affordable purchase homes and affordable cost rental homes. 

"This is beginning to happen and Government will do all it can to speed up this delivery."

Nearly half (45%) of those surveyed stated their rent had increased in the previous 12 months. 

Among those living in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs), almost one in four reported that they had received a rent increase above the permitted 2% cap. 

Mr McCafferty responded: "It is extremely disappointing to hear of tenants facing unlawful rent increases in RPZs, with almost one in four respondents in RPZs reporting to have received a rent increase above the permitted 2% cap. 

Many tenants are already struggling financially to afford their basic needs while paying their rent, so to hear of this level of rent increases in RPZs that are not permitted is deeply unsettling. 

"It is absolutely crucial that rent increases in RPZs are monitored, and we strongly encourage any household who has received a rent increase to contact Threshold to seek information and guidance on what is permitted."