High rents drive rise in older flatsharers
2 months ago
Call to fine landlords who discriminate against young renters
9:16 AM, 24th February 2026, 1 month ago
23
Young people attempting to move from homelessness accommodation into private rented housing are facing widespread landlord discrimination, charities warn.
Organisations in the EveryYouth Network argue that the Renters’ Rights Act fails to address housing access barriers.
It is now calling for financial penalties to be introduced for landlords and agents found to be discriminating against young renters.
It also wants enforcement mechanisms that do not rely solely on tenant complaints.
Lack of guarantor issues
The Network’s chief executive, Nicholas Connolly, said: “Charities in our network urge the government to record and monitor refusal patterns among landlords to identify discrimination, allow anonymous reporting of discriminatory practises, and create government-backed or local authority backed guarantor schemes to prevent blanket refusals based solely on a young person’s lack of a guarantor.”
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, landlords in England will be prohibited from refusing tenants solely on the basis of receiving benefits or having children.
The charities say no equivalent statutory protections exist for young renters facing other forms of refusal.
Frontline support workers report concerns about landlord response to the reforms.
They include potential rent increases aimed at pricing out benefit recipients or the disposal of rental stock.
Young renters rejected
The network reports that young applicants are being rejected due to age, profession, current address, lack of a guarantor or income profile.
This then limits routes into independent living and extend the time spent in supported accommodation.
Discriminatory practises by landlords or letting agents over the past 12 months were reported by 77% of the 10 youth homelessness charities surveyed.
Charities highlight guarantor requirements as the biggest barrier, cited in 90% of cases.
Blanket rejections
Income thresholds followed at 70%, including instances where applicants were assessed as financially able to meet rental payments.
The charities warn that young applicants are receiving ‘blanket rejections’ from landlords.
The result is seeing some individuals turning to street homelessness, sofa surfing or informal living arrangements with safeguarding risks.
Charity workers also say awareness gaps remain, with young renters often unclear about their legal rights or how to challenge discriminatory treatment within the private rented sector.
Tags:
guarantor reform UK, homelessness charities housing, landlord discrimination young renters, private rented sector access, Renters’ Rights Act, youth homelessness UK
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Member Since March 2023 - Comments: 1506
4:39 PM, 24th February 2026, About 1 month ago
Simples .. If you can’t get landlord rent insurance then you can quite happily and legally refuse the tenant.
Member Since January 2023 - Comments: 142
7:28 PM, 24th February 2026, About 1 month ago
a successful rent applicant would have to prove an annual income of aeound 30 x tge monthly rent. iw id the rent is 2000 per month a gross income of 60000 would be requiree
Member Since March 2023 - Comments: 1506
7:49 PM, 24th February 2026, About 1 month ago
Reply to the comment left by Contango at 24/02/2026 – 19:28
You wont get rents like that North of Watford Gap
Member Since April 2022 - Comments: 132
7:56 PM, 24th February 2026, About 1 month ago
Who does the private rental property belong to please? I have worked myself into the ground, and gone without, for 30 years to build up my portfolio. Why should I actually ever be forced to take anyone that ! don’t want to? I won’t.
A landlord /tenant relationship is a complicated one and for a small scale self managing landlord both parties need to be happy with each other because you are going to be a feature in each others’ lives throught the tenancy. The wrong tenant can/will make your life an absolute misery (as I have experienced first hand) and I am sure that works both ways.
The council/ state should house “anyone” who needs it, without discrimination on any factor including “income profile, ffs”, in their own properties. If they are going to effectively try to confiscate my properties that I have invested several million pounds in and still work 60 hour weeks without holidays to keep, at least be open and honest about it.
Member Since June 2014 - Comments: 1562
8:43 PM, 24th February 2026, About 1 month ago
Same as with the job market;
“Thank you for your enquiry, please send your renters CV for consideration.
Due to the massive demand created by halfwit governments, activist lawyers and anti landlord charities it may not be possible to reply to all enquiries.”
Landlords aren’t to blame for this misery.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1630 - Articles: 3
11:42 PM, 24th February 2026, About 1 month ago
Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 24/02/2026 – 19:49
I was getting £1750 for a 2 bed flat in Chiswick in 2014. Nothing special, but a good size, in a great area, near the station, and lovely tenants. At the same time, I was getting £500 for a 2 bed in Wakefield and Sheffield, and the tenants were ‘not so lovely’.
Member Since March 2023 - Comments: 1506
6:44 AM, 25th February 2026, About 1 month ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 24/02/2026 – 23:42
My rents in Derby are about £150 to £250 below market rate (eg. £900 for a 3 bed) – I am happy with that as unlike a lot of landlords, I am mortgage free and can afford to ‘pass on’ the saving in interest I would otherwise have paid. PLUS, all of my remaining 5 properties (sold 13 !) have long term tenants and I have no intention of kicking them out.
There is something to be said by looking after a good long term tenant and not trying to extract every last sheckle out of them.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1630 - Articles: 3
10:49 AM, 25th February 2026, About 1 month ago
Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 25/02/2026 – 06:44
I kept my Yorkshire rents way below the market rate because I didn’t need the rent. My tenants benefited significantly for 5 years, until I decided I should regularise the rents. Then one stopped paying altogether and another complained. I offered to sell to her at a discount and she agreed, until she realised her homeowner responsibilities and extra costs. She’s now gone and the rent is just above market. Apart from an elderly couple who were wonderful tenants, my tenant experience in Yorkshire over 17 years has been poor. In London, I actually developed friendships with several tenants. Am I being unfair about the difference between tenants in the North and South, or is it just my personal experience?
Member Since March 2023 - Comments: 1506
1:30 PM, 25th February 2026, About 1 month ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 25/02/2026 – 10:49Think its just your personal experience. I have had many (the majority) tenants who were decent, look after the property and paid the rent on time.
I have also had my fair share of others.
Resiliance comes into play here, when I had 18 properties I could shoulder some of the non payers and the like until I got them evicted. If you only have one or two properties and have mortgages its a whole new world of pain if your rent isn’t coming in.
Member Since January 2015 - Comments: 1431 - Articles: 1
10:27 AM, 28th February 2026, About 1 month ago
Government should be putting young people kicked out of care homes into hotels instead of illegal immigrants/asylum seekers