Shelter calls for 5 year rental contracts

Shelter is campaigning to give renters a fairer deal and greater security by introducing longer rental contracts, they are  calling on the housing minister Gavin Barwell to make five-year rental contracts available to renters. If necessary renters could leave such contracts early, but at least they’d have the option of staying in their home for a secure time period they say.

New research published by Shelter reveals the concern that families have with the present rental market, over the last ten years the number of renting families has more than doubled but the law has failed to keep in line with the needs of renters. One in four families now rent privately,  89% of renters told Shelter they thought short-term rental contracts are unfair.

On their Shelter Policy Blog they have listed FAQ’s ‘Longer rental contracts: How would they work? The leading question and reply: Why are you campaigning on this? The reason we’re calling for tenancies with five years of security is simple: they have the power to reduce homelessness and to make life more stable for renters, especially families. It would be a big improvement on the current status quo of 6-12 month contracts, and it’s been proven possible by the number of European countries with five-year, nine-year and indefinite rental agreements.

Read the Shelter Policy Blog  with FAQ’s in full click here.

 

 

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Inheritance Tax Receipts raise £0.8 billion in one month

Inheritance tax receipts hit £0.8 billion in April 2025 according to data released by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) this morning. This is £97 million higher than in April of the previous tax year, and continues an upward trend over the last two decades. With such a strong start to the new tax year, predictions that Inheritance tax…
Read More
Breaking News

Zoopla research reveals homeownership outranks marriage as top priority for UK adults

A new survey from Zoopla reveals that 48 per cent of UK renters in a relationship are prioritising saving for a home over a wedding, with this figure rising to 59 per cent amongst Gen Z The financial pressures of saving for a home have resulted in a fifth considering postponing marriage in favour of…
Read More
Breaking News

London rental market rebalances amid rising supply

Foxtons data shows There was a 5% increase in market supply in April, and a 9%, increase in market supply of new instructions year to date The average rent in April 2025 increased by 3% to stand at £589 per week April saw a 3% month-on-month reduction in applicant registrations, which goes against the trend…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Rightmove’s Weekly Mortgage Tracker

Average rates for 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate mortgages   Term Average rate Weekly change Yearly change 2-year fixed 4.60% -0.02% -0.84% 5-year fixed 4.58% -0.02% -0.48% Lowest rates for 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate mortgages   Term Lowest rate Weekly change Yearly change 2-year fixed 3.72% +0.00% -1.03% 5-year fixed 3.78% +0.00% -0.56% Average fixed-term mortgage…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Streamlining Property Documentation for Fast Transactions

Property transactions often stall due to paperwork bottlenecks. Missing documents, hard-to-read files, and format incompatibilities can turn straightforward sales into lengthy ordeals. For estate agents, property managers, and solicitors, these delays mean unhappy clients and lost revenue. Efficient document management sits at the centre of smooth property transactions. Converting files between formats quickly ensures that…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 21/05/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Welcome to the first instalment of a 52-week exploration into the intersection of data and digital infrastructures, tenant experience, and operational performance in commercial real estate. Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR & Editor of Proptech-X  – ‘Over the past nine years I have worked 1:1…
Read More