Privately rented stock is in a poorer condition than social homes, as one in five (20%) privately rented homes have been labelled unsafe or non-decent, a study by house buyer Sell House Fast has revealed.
Among privately rented stock, 31% are deemed unsafe or non-decent in Yorkshire & the Humber, two and a half times the proportion of social homes (13.3%) in the area.
In the North West 27% of privately rented stock is non-decent, compared to 9.4% in social housing. And in East Midlands a quarter (25%) of stock is non-decent, double the proportion in social homes (12.2%).
The only area where social and private housing has near-parity is London, where 12.4% of private stock is non-decent, compared to 12.2% of social homes.
Jack Malnick, managing director of Sell House Fast, said: “There are also over 2.3 million owner-occupied homes that are non-decent, meaning that 14.3% of homeowners will struggle to sell their homes due to the severe issues. To combat this, it is important that homeowners recognise and resolve any major home issues, especially if they are category one hazards.
“Tripping hazards and structural issues are especially problematic, as falls on stairs can be extremely dangerous and lead to serious injury. Often, uneven floors and loose wires can be an easy fix to eliminate this category one issue.
“It is also important to keep your home insulated and well-heated, as excessive cold and damp are a category one hazard; consequently, a properly insulated home can increase home value by an average of 14% and potentially save people hundreds of pounds per year on energy bills.
“If you tackle major issues that could make your home non-decent, you could not only increase your standard of living, but also add value to your home and make it much easier to sell. On top of this, if you do not own your home, it is important to report issues to your private landlord or council to tackle these major issues before they can harm you and your home.”
Cornwall (16,565), Brighton & Hove (14,345), Westmorland & Furness (7,469), and Blackpool (7,162) are among the worst areas for non-decent homes let by private landlords.