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8 ways to make renting less of a total nightmare
A lack of affordable housing, dodgy landlords, repairs that never get done, bidding wars driving up rent.... it’s not easy out there for renters right now. The problem is expected to get even worse as landlords get charged higher interest rates on their mortgages, which could be passed on to tenants. Private renting in the UK is broken, and campaigners around the country are calling for a shake-up of the system to make it fairer for tenants. But what could actually be done to fix it? Here are some of the ways renting could be made less of a nightmare – starting from the most likely to happen, and getting more idealistic as we go on. Read more:✈️ F*** this, I’m moving abroad: the Brits fed up with the cost of living in the UK🏠 Why is everyone moving to Sheffield right now? 1. Put an end to no-fault evictions At the moment, a landlord in England or Wales can give notice to end a tenancy without establishing that the tenant has done anything wrong, under what is called a ‘Section 21’ eviction. To put it mildly, this is not great for renters. According to housing charity Shelter, one in four households that are homeless or at risk of homelessness are in that position because of losing their private tenancy. No-fault evictions leave all renters living with insecurity and uncertainty about the future of their home. ‘Section 21s are being issued left, right and centre in Bristol,’ says Jessie Seal, who works at homeless prevention organisation, Caring in Bristol. ‘Today we are cele