Many renters living in Bristol are struggling with “frustration and despair” according to a landmark new report on the city’s housing crisis. Hundreds of renters gave their experiences of rising costs and shoddy conditions to experts on the Bristol Living Rent Commission.
A survey carried out by the commission painted a “grim” picture of the pain facing thousands of Bristolians renting privately. The 720 responses showed many are struggling to keep up with rising rents, while putting up with a lack of repairs and a looming threat of eviction.
The Living Rent Commission and Bristol City Council are now calling on the government for new legal powers to control rents and cap how much landlords can increase them. But the commission’s 104-page report also revealed the real-life impacts of the city’s housing crisis.
