More than half of renters are ‘flathugging’ and avoiding landlords

More than half of tenants are choosing to stay put, clinging to their current homes despite wanting to move, research reveals.

The flatsharing platform SpareRoom says that fears of rent rises and fierce competition have frozen the rental market.

It says that 56% of tenants are now ‘flathugging’, a term for renters remaining in properties they would otherwise leave.

The trend is even more pronounced among older sharers, with 61% of those aged over 40 staying put compared with 52% of under-40s.

Need a flexible workforce

A director of the firm, Matt Hutchinson, said: “A healthy economy relies on a flexible workforce, which we won’t have if people can’t move.

“With UK room rents now at record highs, and household affordability stretched, many tenants simply have no choice but to stay put and hope their rent doesn’t get any higher.”

He added: “Even for those who could afford to move, avoiding the stress of the rental market is taking priority over career progression and opportunities.

“If we’ve reached the point where people are turning down job opportunities and career progression for fear of having to re-enter the rental market, our politicians are letting people down in a major way and have been for years.”

Tenants can’t afford rents

SpareRoom found that 73% of renters say the homes they want are now out of budget.

Average room rents across the UK have soared by 28% in five years, hitting £753 a month, while London rents have climbed 37% to almost £1,000.

A shortage of available properties (44%) and intense competition (32%) are also driving renters to hunker down.

During the third quarter of this year, there were four people searching for every available room.

Don’t contact landlords

However, almost half (45%) of tenants also admit they’ve deliberately avoided contacting their landlords or letting agents this year.

They’ve done so to avoid triggering a rent increase.

That also means that 14% of tenants say they hadn’t reported major repair problems in their homes.

A third ignored minor issues and a quarter have avoided flagging up faulty fixtures or appliances.

Also, one in six failed to mention mould, and 8% stayed silent about safety concerns such as faulty alarms.

Avoiding rent rises

The reasons for not highlighting issues, for 58% of tenants, is a fear their landlord would raise the rent if they complained.

While 42% doubted any repairs would be carried out.

More than a third said they wanted to ‘avoid confrontation’, and almost one in three tenants say they feared eviction.

SpareRoom also found that six in 10 renters believe the current housing crisis has harmed their career progression.

Nearly one in five have even turned down a job offer to avoid the stress of searching for a new home.

What responsible landlords should know

The ‘flathugging’ trend highlights how market pressure affects tenant behaviour and communication. Responsible landlords will recognise that silence from tenants is not always a sign of satisfaction. When affordability anxiety rises, openness tends to decline. Maintaining trust through calm, structured contact is now more important than ever.

What this means for you

Rising tenant reluctance to report maintenance issues can expose landlords to compliance risk if safety standards slip unnoticed.

Extended tenancies may delay refurbishment cycles and affect property condition and insurance terms.

Landlords with clear, written maintenance policies are better placed to demonstrate fairness and avoid disputes during rent reviews.

Practical steps to take now

Review your tenancy records and ensure repair obligations, inspection schedules and communication channels are documented.

Keep evidence of any proactive safety checks—particularly smoke alarms, damp or mould treatments, and gas or electrical inspections.

Reassess rent review clauses and ensure they are transparent, proportionate, and clearly communicated before implementation.

Offer tenants structured reporting routes (such as an online form or shared inbox) that log maintenance requests without immediate rent discussions.

Where possible, issue a short, friendly update confirming that repairs and affordability reviews are handled separately, to encourage honesty and reassurance.

Good practice that reduces stress

Landlords who separate property care from rent discussions find that tenants respond more openly and responsibly. A transparent, courteous tone builds confidence and helps avoid the hidden wear and tear that silence can cause. Treating maintenance as a shared responsibility reinforces professionalism and pride in property stewardship.