East Midlands renters could be coldest this Christmas, figures show.
Annual figures from Veriwise show the East Midlands is the UK’s “cold spot” for damp and mould – with over a quarter of enquiries received for help from tenants in the region relating to the problem.
45% of complaints from renters received by Veriwise this year related to the condition of properties – with 25% of complaints relating to damp and mould alone.
26% of complaints from the East Midlands received by the organisation, which takes on property disrepair claims for tenants who lack the resources to pursue them themselves, are related to damp and mould. East of England saw the second highest proportion of damp and mould complaints (24%).
Outside of London – the source of 33% of landlord and letting agent complaints received by Veriwise – the North West is the UK’s overall tenant complaint hotspot with 13% of requests for help to Veriwise received from the region. The Midlands (12%) was the source of the second highest proportion of complaints.
Analysis of the figures also indicates:
- The West Midlands has the biggest problem with vermin and pests – with 9% of calls for help received from the region relating to this, the highest percentage in the country.
- The North East has the biggest problem with deposit disputes –with 21% of complaints received from the region relating to this, the highest percentage in the country.
- The East of England has the biggest problem with illegal evictions – with 18% of complaints received from the region relating to this, the highest percentage in the country.
- 43% of London renters meanwhile raised legal issues about the behaviour of their landlord or letting agent- -rather than a property complaint.
Veriwise founder Ajay Jagota responded to the figures:
He said:
“2022 has been an extremely tough year for renters, with rents rapidly rising while standards of housing appear to be continuing to decline.
“It is interesting to see, however, that some issues seem to be particularly prevalent in certain areas. On the basis of our figures, London renters seem to be having a lot of legal issues with the behaviour of their landlords and letting agents, while renters in places like the Midlands and North West have the biggest problems with the condition of their homes themselves.
“Whatever the issue, it’s clear from these figures that too many renters have to endure unsafe and unsanitary housing or landlords unwilling to meet their legal obligations every day – and organisations like Veriwise are here to empower renters to provide access to justice”.
Veriwise takes on housing disrepair claims, deposit disputes and illegal eviction claims on behalf of renters, negotiating with councils or private landlords to fix the issues quickly and claim compensation for renters from landlords and agents. In cases where the landlord or agent does not comply, Veriwise can now present the case to legal counsel who can take the case to court to ensure the landlord complies and pays any compensation.
The organisation this year launched Very Wise Student and this week announced Very Wise Renter a partnership with insurer ARAG aimed at empowering renters by offering free access to:
- LEGAL HELPLINE available 24/7 access to a qualified SOLICITOR
- TAX HELPLINE
- WELL-BEING HELPLINE 24/7 access to a qualified COUNSELOR
All legal calls are handled by qualified solicitors with at least 5 years of post-qualification experience, whilst the free and confidential counselling helpline offers support with mental health issues, personal problems or any money worries renters may have.