A property company claims that 14 per cent of renters are so distressed by their living situation they believe it is causing them symptoms of depression.
Wayhome says this has increased by more than a half since before the pandemic.
Separately, its survey apparently shows that 13 per cent of tenants say renting has led them to suffer anxiety and 12 per cent report feeling isolated, while 10 per cent are so unhappy with their living situation that it is causing or contributing to broader mental health issues.
This is more than twice as common in renters than homeowners, where only five per cent report an impact on their mental health.
Of those renters who said their living situation had contributed to feelings of depression, anxiety, or isolation, or had caused other mental health issues, one in five blamed the fixtures and fittings being in poor condition and one in 10 said their home was the wrong size.
Some 32 per cent said their home wasn’t close enough to their friends and family, 15 per cent don’t feel safe in their local area, and 12 per cent claimed to be far from any local amenities.
Just over a fifth of those renters claiming to be struggling with mental health attributed their suffering to feeling insecure in their current accommodation.
Wayhome says the study was conducted over the course of the last three years and included 1,001 private renters and 1,002 homeowners in 2019, and 1,000 private renters and 1,175 homeowners in 2021.
Nigel Purves, chief executive of Wayhome, states: “There are some players in the property market who are ecstatic about the heat of the market over the last year, but they do a disservice to our industry. The UK is facing an affordability crisis, with people trapped in a vicious renting cycle.
“Our research has brought to light just what can happen to those who are continually priced out of homeownership, with cases of depression on the rise and people feeling isolated and anxious. In some instances, people are even putting major life plans on hold until they’re in a home worthy of their family. It’s not good enough.”
We're excited to announce that we're working on building a shiny new website for readers of Landlord Today! As part of this process, commenting on articles will be temporarily disabled. We look forward to sharing our new and improved Landlord Today website with you shortly!
Tenant-400x310.png)
.png)
(1).png)
.jpg)
%20(002).png)
