Jason Cordingley has been renting for 27 years, but says that over the past five years, things have become “worse and worse”. The 44-year-old says rent has “consistently gone up while wages haven’t” and that in the past few years, he has been evicted from two properties after asking landlords to fix poor conditions. Jason, who works in an admin role for the NHS, says he first encountered problems with a landlord while in a one-bed flat in Hailsham, East Sussex, where he had water coming into the bedroom from blocked drains. Eight months after complaining, the landlord sent his father to the property to look at the issue, and then served Jason a section 21 notice – which tells tenants they are being evicted – by surprise while he was there.

‘He said he would increase rent by 50%’

After this, Jason moved to the nearby town of Eastbourne, but after a problem with the upstairs neighbours’ bath caused a leak, the property became damp and mouldy. The landlord eventually agreed to make repairs but asked Jason and his young daughter to move out while they were carried out. After initially saying he would not do so, Jason was told to move out. “I kicked off and managed to drag the situation out, but he basically said he would increase the rent by £400, which would be 50 per cent,” he says. “There was no chance of affording that, so we had to leave, and then the property was relisted for £400 more than the £800 I’d been paying.” (Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty)

‘I can’t afford another section 21’

Jason has been in his current home, still in Eastbourne, for 18 months, and is again experiencing mould issues. “My big concern is another section 21, as I can’t afford it,” he says. “I’m also worried they’ll put the rent up again. Only people who can’t afford to buy should rent now. Renting is horrendous and it’s getting worse,” he says. Jason says that as well as conditions, the costs of renting have risen astronomically. “They used to say only spend a third of your wage on rent, but it’s over half for me now.” (Photo: AmArtPhotography/Getty/E+)

Rents at record high

Jason is not alone in having faced a massive rent increase in recent years. UK rents have hit a record high with the average outside of London now tipping £1,365 per month, according to new figures. New tenants now face paying £417 more in rent than they did in 2020, the property website Rightmove said this week. The Renters’ Rights Bill, currently passing through parliament, will ban section 21 evictions, but campaigners say legislation is needed to stop large increases in costs that they cannot afford to pay. (Photo: Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty)

‘We need a cap on rent increases’

Tom Darling, Director at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, says: “Everyone needs a decent, secure home. But tragically, stories like Jason’s happen up and down the country every day as renters are forced out of their homes and communities by section 21 evictions. Far too often these ‘no fault’ evictions are used to punish tenants for asking for essential repairs – when it’s the landlord profiting from an unhealthy or dangerous home who should be punished. The Renters’ Rights Bill will finally abolish section 21 and give renters more security. But to finish the job, the Government needs to go further and regulate rent increases, so landlords can’t use unfair rent increases to evict tenants by the back door. To keep renters in their homes we need a cap on rent increases, so rent can’t rise faster than inflation or wages.” (Photo: Chris Griffiths/Getty/Moment RF)

‘Greater security for tenants’

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “Our Renters’ Rights Bill will put a stop to cases like this by banning unfair section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, giving tenants the right to directly challenge excessive rent hikes and introducing Awaab’s Law to force landlords to fix dangerous damp and mould. Along with steps such as capping advance payments to one month’s rent and banning unfair bidding wars, these will give tenants greater security and help to tackle the cost-of-living.” (Photo: Yui Mok/PA)