Soaring private rentals reflect pressure on first-time buyers | Money | The Guardian

Soaring private rentals reflect pressure on first-time buyers | Money | The Guardian

The number of people renting privately-owned accommodation in England has increased by 55% in the past six years, reflecting the struggle many aspiring homeowners have faced trying to buy their first home.

Figures published by the communities and local government department in its annual English housing survey show the number of private renters increased from 2.15 million in 2003-04 to 3.35 million in 2009-10. The number of tenants in social housing fell slightly from 3.92 million to 3.67 million (a drop of 6.5%) over the same period, while the total number of owner-occupiers fell from 14.54 million to 14.52 million, a drop of 0.18%.