"While it is positive that the UK Government has recently announced its National Housing Bank which aims to inject billions into private investment and build an additional 500,000 homes, it is clear that satisfaction rates in the private rental sector are higher than in the social rented sector"
- Nathan Emerson - Propertymark
A new report from the Housing Ombudsman has prompted Propertymark to call for greater recognition of the role the private rental sector can play in addressing housing pressures, following a significant rise in complaints linked to poor conditions in social housing.
The Spotlight Report: Repairing Trust revealed that in 2024/25, complaints about poor living conditions in social housing increased by 474% compared with 2019/20. Propertymark argues that this data underscores the need for a stronger, well-supported private rental sector as part of the wider housing solution.
Referencing the UK Government’s commitment to build 1.5 million homes by the end of the current parliament, the report warned of serious risks to achieving that target unless changes are made to the current social housing system.
It stated that “a significant risk to the government’s vital housebuilding ambitions is the current unsustainable model for maintaining existing social homes,” and added, “without change, we effectively risk the managed decline of one of the largest provisions of social housing in Europe, especially in areas of lowest affordability. To replace these homes would take more than 60 years at recent building rates.”
To help address the situation, the Housing Ombudsman recommends introducing a National Funding Settlement for social landlords and creating a national resident body to help redress the power imbalance between tenants and landlords. It also backs the implementation of a ‘universal vacant home’ standard, where all properties meet basic conditions before they are re-let.
Other proposals include a move toward predictive maintenance models, a shift in cultural attitudes toward repairs, and greater transparency around property conditions. The report stated, “landlords also need to be transparent about the scale of the challenge – the difference in the proportion of non-decent homes reported to the Regulator of Social Housing compared to the English Housing Survey is stark and landlords need to understand what the true picture is.”
Findings from the English Housing Survey supported the report’s concerns, with only 64% of social renters saying they were satisfied with their housing services, compared with 76% of private renters. Satisfaction with complaint handling also differed: 66% of social renters who made a complaint reported dissatisfaction with the response, while 47% of private renters said the same.
Propertymark supported the Housing Ombudsman’s observation that the social housing sector lacks the consumer choice found in the private rental market. It also noted that private renters typically have greater flexibility when it comes to relocating, unlike social tenants, who are often constrained by an allocation model.
The organisation has long campaigned for a comprehensive review of all tax measures affecting private landlords, urging the UK Government and devolved administrations to consider reforms. This includes reinstating full mortgage interest tax relief and reducing additional taxes on buy-to-let properties.
“While it is positive that the UK Government has recently announced its National Housing Bank which aims to inject billions into private investment and build an additional 500,000 homes, it is clear that satisfaction rates in the private rental sector are higher than in the social rented sector,” said Nathan Emerson, chief executive officer at Propertymark. “Therefore, all Governments across the country need to keep their fingers on the pulse of the issue of underinvestment and further encourage a vibrant and growing private rental sector by also reviewing the taxes that impact landlords throughout the UK.”
