NUMBER OF RETIRED RENTERS SOARS BY OVER 200,000 IN 4 YEARS

18th June 2016

The number of people living in private rented accommodation in retirement has soared by more than 200,000 in the last four years, according to a poll of private renters*.

Overall, the poll shows that the proportion of retired private renters has grown by 13 per cent since 2012 - approximately 220,000** - as more and more people turn to the private rented sector.

Seventeen per cent of the retired private renting population live in the South East – the area with the highest proportion across the UK. However, just three per cent live in London – the area with the smallest proportion area across England and Wales for renting in retirement.

There are almost four times as many retired renters in the North West (15 per cent) compared to the North East (4 per cent), and twice as many retirees rent property in the West Midlands (8 per cent) compared to the East Midlands (4 per cent).

However, the proportion of landlords who let to retired renters has almost halved during the same timeframe, with nine per cent of landlords saying they currently let to retirees compared to 19 per cent in 2012***.

The findings suggest that it could become harder for those approaching retirement to find suitable rented accommodation in the future, especially in high demand areas.

Carolyn Uphill, Chairman of the NLA said: - More and more people are turning to private rented housing at every stage of their lives, including in retirement.

"Landlords appreciate the stability and assurances often provided by older households, but are finding it increasingly difficult to build businesses around the needs of potentially vulnerable tenants.

"Successive cuts to the welfare budget, uncertainty about pension provisions, and the devastating impact of the Government's tax changes are likely to mean that private landlords will soon be unable provide homes in high cost areas like Central London for anyone without a well-paying job.

“As the proportion of retired renters continues to grow there's a real worry that homes won’t be available in the private sector, forcing people to look further afield – leaving communities they have known and contributed to for decades."

*NLA Quarterly Tenant Panel – Q4 2012 (714 respondents) and Q1 2016 (736 respondents)

**2 per cent of 11 million = 220,000 (Increase from 15 per cent of rented households to 17 per cent)

***NLA Quarterly Landlord Panel – Q4 2012 (824 respondents) and Q1 2016 (1097 respondents).

Full regional breakdown

Region % Retired renters

South East 17

South West 15

North West 15

Scotland 9

East England 9

West Midlands 8

Yorks & Humber 7

Wales 6

North East 4

East Midlands 4

London 3

Northern Ireland 1

The National Landlords Association (NLA) is the UK’s leading organisation for private-residential landlords. It works with almost 68,000 landlords, of which over 31,500 are paying members, ranging from full-time landlords with large property portfolios to those with just a single letting. NLA membership helps landlords make a success of their lettings business by providing a wide range of information, advice and services. The NLA campaigns for the legitimate interests of landlords by seeking to influence decision-makers at all levels of government and by making landlords’ collective voice heard in the media. It seeks to raise standards in the private-rented sector while aiming to ensure that landlords are aware of their statutory rights and responsibilities. Based at its head office in Central London, the NLA currently employs over 30 full-time staff and has a network of more than 37 regional representatives and branches throughout the UK.