{"id":20930,"date":"2024-10-22T16:50:59","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T15:50:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.taipawb.org\/?post_type=blog&p=20930"},"modified":"2026-07-08T20:39:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T20:39:10","slug":"a-new-vision-for-the-prs-in-wales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taipawb.org\/cy\/news\/2024\/a-new-vision-for-the-prs-in-wales\/","title":{"rendered":"A new vision for the PRS in Wales?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"steep<\/div>\n

Earlier this year, Tai Pawb gave evidence to the Senedd\u2019s Local Government and Housing Committee inquiry into the Private Rental Sector (PRS). We were also incredibly lucky to have the Committee visit our <\/span>Gwent Boost<\/a><\/strong> project to hear from our Tenant and Landlord Champions about their experiences of the PRS. As the Committee\u2019s report is <\/strong><\/span>published<\/strong>, our Policy Manager, Dave Rowlands, shares some of his thoughts on the challenges in the PRS, what they\u2019ve had to say and what needs to be changed<\/span><\/p>\n

The PRS makes up around\u00a0 <\/span>17% of all households <\/span><\/a>in Wales, an increase of 45,000 households since 2011. While the Government has set ambitious targets to build social housing, over the last few years the PRS has become increasingly competitive. Rents have risen meaning too many people have faced barriers to accessing it. A\u202f <\/span>2022 survey by Shelter Cymru<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u202fshowed that 37 per cent of landlords in Wales say they do not, or prefer not, to let to tenants on benefits. As the Committee Chair responded on the publication of the report: <\/span>\u201cUnfortunately, this Committee heard far too much evidence of people unable to find a stable home because they were on benefits, couldn\u2019t afford huge up front deposits or had a pet. This discrimination, and the many other\u202fbarriers in people\u2019s way, must be addressed as soon as possible.\u202f<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>This chimes with experiences from our Gwent Boost project. As one<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>person told us, \u201cThe truth is that anyone who earns less than about\u00a0<\/span>\u00a322,000 a year simply cannot afford to live in the private rented sector in\u00a0<\/span>2023.\u201d\u00a0 But it\u2019s not just about cost \u2013 there are multiple barriers facing\u00a0<\/span>people trying to find a home. Jeff, one of our tenant champions, felt that\u00a0<\/span>after being handed his notice, for his family, \u201c…trying to find a new home for\u00a0<\/span>us all was so hard; it was hurdle after hurdle with each barrier being bigger\u00a0<\/span>than the last and you never knew when you\u2019d gotten over the last one.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We know in particular that those who face the biggest inequalities in\u00a0<\/span>society often find these replicated in trying to access the PRS. As well as\u00a0<\/span>availability of suitable homes, these include a lack of accessible homes;\u00a0<\/span>challenges around adaptations; difficulties getting properties with Guide\u00a0<\/span>Dogs; barriers around competitive applications processes that\u00a0<\/span>favour those with more money; and additional letting requirements around\u00a0<\/span>credit history and guarantors mean the majority of refugees experience\u00a0<\/span>homelessness on having their status to remain confirmed.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, what has the report identified can be done to overcome these barriers-\u00a0\u00a0and in particular for people who face the biggest barriers?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n