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The Lived Experience of Tenants in Suffolk

The Lived Experience of Tenants in Suffolk

The Lived Experience of Tenants in Suffolk

The lived experience of tenants in Suffolk

As with landlords, the common, often overlapping themes, from tenant interviews were collected into broad categories which provide an overall picture of a varied set of experiences.
Housing Journeys

Housing Journeys

Private renting has many types of housing journey; frequent moves and insecurity persist. Life events can trigger downward or upward trajectories, shaping financial strain, wellbeing, and a search for stability.

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Property Characteristics

Tenants’ property choices reflect aesthetics, space needs, affordability, and changing circumstances, with challenges including overcrowding, poor conditions, limited choice, landlord restrictions, and accessibility for older or disabled renters.

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Tenancies and relationships

Relationships

Tenant–landlord relationships vary widely, influencing security, repairs, and wellbeing; issues include power imbalance, agent responsiveness, discrimination, and community support networks.

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Identity, Home, and Aspirations

Identity and home

A sense of home can help tenants thrive, and depends on personalisation, pets, gardens, community, and security; restrictions, instability, and stigma undermine identity and wellbeing.

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Affordability for tenants in Suffolk

Affordability

Tenants face varied affordability challenges, balancing rent with sacrifices, benefits reliance, arrears risks, and barriers to moving or homeownership despite budgeting efforts.

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Property Condition

Tenants report mixed satisfaction; many face damp, mould, cold homes, and disrepair, causing health and mental strain, with limited landlord accountability.

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Security of Tenure

Security of Tenure

Tenants’ security of tenure varies; trust, pragmatism, and stability aid wellbeing, while landlord changes, Section 21 notices, and precarity fuel anxiety.

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What we learnt - Suffolk housing

What we learnt

The research highlights the complexity of Suffolk’s private rented sector, shaped by personal histories and the link between housing and wellbeing.

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Next steps - Suffolk housing report

Next Steps

Collaboration between housing and health services as well as with landlords is essential to improving wellbeing and reducing harm.

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