Privately rented homes bust despite sector boom | Money | The Observer

Privately rented homes bust despite sector boom | Money | The Observer

More than 40% of privately rented flats and houses in England are in a "non-decent" condition, according to damning figures released by the government.

Results from the English Housing Survey show the private rented sector is booming as more would-be buyers find themselves unable to obtain mortgages. There were 3.4 million households living in privately rented homes in 2010, up from 2.4 million in 2005, which means that one in six English households now live in privately rented accommodation.

But 1.4 million homes, some 41% of the private rented sector (PRS), are branded "non-decent", according to criteria set by the department of communities and local government.

This means they have failed three or more minimum standards. The standards include: a kitchen that is no more than 20 years old with "reasonable space and layout"; a bathroom no more than 30 years old; good insulation against noise; "in the case of flats, having communal areas of adequate size"; energy-efficient features; and whether the homes are an appropriate size for the number of tenants. In addition, the survey shows that serious damp problems affect 15% of the private rented sector.