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

More than a third of homes undergo price reduction

The latest research from GetAgent.co.uk has revealed that more than a third (34.4%) of homes sold subject to contract (SSTC) across Britain’s major cities have undergone an asking price reduction, with this figure climbing to more than half in Bournemouth, raising questions over whether sellers, and their agents, are pricing their properties realistically when first…
Read More →
Breaking News

‘Explosion’ in e-signature use at Land Registry spells progress for homebuying reform

The number of e-signatures used at Land Registry has exploded in the latest quarter — jumping more than ten times in just three months to 643, Novus Strategy can reveal. Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) are a central plank of the revolution unfolding in homebuying because they reduce friction and save time. It’s a combination of…
Read More →
Letting Agent Talk

The Flats Above the Shop Problem

Why residential property hidden inside commercial ownership keeps causing trouble By Adam Hills, Client Services Director, LRG Living Markets Somewhere in many commercial property portfolios sits a small collection of front doors that was never really part of the plan. Many large and small retailers inherit residential property portfolios by default as part of mixed-use…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 2/11/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   April 2027: The date Landlords become data companies   From 6 April 2027 some landlords pay 4% more tax – but a bigger burden is the extra governmental red tape Thought leadership by Olivier Jauniaux Founder of NestLink There was a moment in the 2026 Budget speech…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Buying Alone? What Solo Buyers Need to Know Before Making an Offer on a House

Figures show that solo buyers accounted for 36.9% of Barclays’ mortgage completions in June 2026, as more people chose to step onto the property ladder without a partner beside them. Choosing independence over waiting for a joint purchase has doubled over the last 50+ years, with solo first-time buyers doubling from 15% before 1980 to…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

How to Make a New-Build Living Room Feel Less Like a Show Home

An empty new-build living room can be surprisingly difficult to furnish. The walls are freshly painted, the sockets are in place, and there is nothing to remove before decorating begins. Yet once the sofa arrives, the room can still feel unsettled: too bare in some places, awkwardly crowded in others. The answer rarely involves buying…
Read More →