New housing evidence review on the private rented sector

The UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) just published this report reviewing evidence on tenant participation and activism in the private rented sector (PRS).

It looks at UK and international sources of academic and non-academic evidence to explore how tenant activism works and what its impacts are in different contexts. Participation and activism is defined as any activity in which tenants come together to collectively tackle a housing problem.

The paper concludes that landlords and letting agents need to recognise the value of sharing power with tenants – genuinely involving tenants in decision-making can help to sustain tenancies and maintain landlord income.

Policy makers can support improvements in the PRS by ensuring that tenant activism is facilitated and that the voices of tenants are heard. A more empowered tenant-base in the PRS would be protective of tenants’ housing conditions and quality of life.

Read a blog from Lisa Garnham (GCPH) and Dr Steve Rolfe (University of Stirling) on the evidence review.