The number of private rented households with someone aged 65 or over living in them has jumped by 44% over the last decade, according to government data.
Over one million, or 25%, of private rented households in England have someone living in them with a long-term illness or disability, driven by an ageing population.
But despite this, a quarter of all private rented households that require modifications for the elderly say their home does not meet their needs, according to the government’s latest English Housing Survey 2019 to 2020 report.
The data comes as the National Residential Landlords Association warns that not enough is being done to help landlords secure financial support to adapt properties for older people or disabled tenants.
The landlord’s body points out that tenants and landlords are eligible for financial support, including through the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), which funds necessary modifications to properties.
But a survey of landlords the association commissioned found that 79% did not know DFGs existed. Once they were made aware of the grant, 68 per cent said they were more willing to make adaptations where required.
National Residential Landlords Association deputy policy director Meera Chindooroy says: “With rapidly growing numbers of older and disabled renters we need to do much more to ensure they, and their landlords, have the support needed to ensure homes are fit for purpose.
“Although financial support to make adaptations is available, it is not being advertised anywhere near enough to local landlords by councils.
“We call on them to work with the NRLA to raise awareness of the help available to ensure that private rented homes are best equipped to meet the needs of all tenants who want to live in them.”
Data group BVA-BDRC questioned 829 landlords for the first quarter of 2019 on behalf of the NRLA
