Tenants '˜fear eviction if they complain about their landlord'

PRIVATE tenants who have problems with renting do not complain for fear of revenge evictions.
The CAB says many tenants in private rented homes fear 'revenge evictions' if they complain about their landlordThe CAB says many tenants in private rented homes fear 'revenge evictions' if they complain about their landlord
The CAB says many tenants in private rented homes fear 'revenge evictions' if they complain about their landlord

Citizens Advice found 28 per cent of private renters are worried of what the repercussions will be if they make a formal complaint against their landlord.

The survey also found 43 per cent of staff said worrying about the consequences of complaining was the biggest issue for tenants seeking redress for their problem.

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A spokeswoman from the Gosport branch said it was an issue they were aware of.

Carole Damper from The Roberts CentreCarole Damper from The Roberts Centre
Carole Damper from The Roberts Centre

Citizens Advice said its findings equate to 250,000 households in England putting up with shoddy or unsafe homes out of fear of eviction. They said the most common issue tenants need is help with repairs and maintenance.

Carole Damper, is chief executive of the Roberts Centre in Landport, Portsmouth, which supports families facing homelessness.

She said: ‘There are a few landlords that we’ve heard about who aren’t the type of landlord you would want

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‘But we haven’t heard that fear of complaining is a big issue at the moment. We do know though some landlords fail to respond to repair and maintenance problems.’

Carole Damper from The Roberts CentreCarole Damper from The Roberts Centre
Carole Damper from The Roberts Centre

Citizens Advice is calling on the government to use a planned introduction of an ombudsman for landlords to further protect tenants from revenge eviction.

It said that while some landlords set out clear processes and timescales for complaints, others rely on informal methods such as texts or face-to-face chats.

Research found 13 per cent of tenants who had a problem said they did not complain because they were unable to contact their landlord.

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A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokeswoman said: ‘Everyone deserves a safe and decent home. That is why we have given councils stronger powers to crack down on bad landlords.’