Young renters in Liverpool have described their deep "frustration" over mistreatment by landlords.
Liverpool attracts many young people, including students, due to its perceived cheaper rents compared to other cities such as London. However, some tenants are infuriated due to the treatment by their landlords.
The ECHO has spoken to renters who say they're receiving no maintenance and living with mould. The cost of living crisis, with rising rents and energy prices, has made these situations worse for the renters.
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The ECHO spoke to one PhD student at the University of Liverpool, who wished to remain anonymous. He said he has had problems at his flat near Sefton Park, where he lives with a friend.
The property is managed by TCD Solutions. Before they moved in, they claimed the rent was increased the day before they were due to sign the contract, the moving in date was altered and the locks were changed.
When he finally moved in, the student was "unimpressed" by the state of the flat. He told the ECHO: "The fridge had some old food in and some of the blinds hadn't been put back from the painting.
"So I texted the property manager and he said to go through his website and TCD Solutions, which I did. To this day, they still haven't done any maintenance." The student has since had problems with his pre-paid energy meter.
The situation has taken its toll on the student. He said: "I just don't want any stress. I just want to live comfortably." The ECHO approached TCD Solutions for comment but received no response at time of publication.
Kathryn Manley, the deputy president of the Liverpool Guild of Students, has had similar experiences. She considers herself "lucky" despite having small amounts of damp in her student home near Smithdown Road.
She said: "I know people who have houses absolutely infested with damp, to the point where they're quite sick and have had to go into hospital."
She is concerned about the treatment of students in particular.
"Landlords don't see students as permanent tenants. They hope that by the end of the year, they stop reporting problems and move on. If you've come from the other end of the country, moving into a disgusting house ruins the experience."
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Though all generations are affected by bad landlords, young people are particularly vulnerable. UK-wide figures suggest half of millennials (aged 23-38) will rent well into their forties.
Another recent study argued people under 30 are spending more of their income on rent than any other age group. With house prices well above average incomes and a lack of council housing, the private rented sector is the sole option for many.
There are a number of organisations that can help with issues facing renters. ACRON and the Guild of Students, as well as Shelter, offer representation and advice to young people with housing difficulties. However, it is debated whether the fault lies at some bad landlords, or the renting system itself.
Kathryn added: "It's just money making profit. It's a much deeper issue, running right through society. Landlords and letting agencies just see renting as a cash cow.
"They're charging £500 a month for one person living in a house. Turning what should be a three bed family home into a house for 10 people with six bedrooms."
Tougher legislation offers some hope. Liverpool City Council's Licensing Scheme was reintroduced last April. It gives the council additional powers to tackle poor standards in rented accommodation.
Last June, the council's Article 4 directive was introduced. This means all houses in multiple occupation (HMO) for seven or more people are subject to planning permission.
Meanwhile, the Renter's Reform Bill is currently passing through parliament. It proposes several remedies, including the creation of a national register of landlords and a private rented ombudsman to help enforce renters’ rights.
Kathryn, however, is not optimistic about the situation in the short term changing given the cost of living crisis. She added: "I've got friends who have left university and their housing still isn't great.
"We're probably going to see a much bigger effect. Especially when people want to put the heating on and can't afford it."
The ECHO put these issues raised by Kathryn to the National Residential Landlords Association. A spokesperson said: “No one should ever have to put up with unsafe or unhealthy accommodation, irrespective of their status. Students have just the same rights as any other private tenant and should be able to expect the same level of service from their landlord.
“If condensation or damp is an issue in a rented home tenants should immediately contact their landlord so that they can investigate the source of the problem before it leads to mould or conditions that can cause harm.
“Damp conditions can have a range of causes, from leaks or structural problems, to poor ventilation or low internal temperatures. Working together, landlords and tenants can find suitable solutions to address problems of this kind. These could include minor repairs, improved ventilation, or greater awareness of the sources of excess moisture in homes.
“If this isn’t possible, and where rogue and criminal landlords are not meeting standards, we urge local authorities to use the enforcement powers at their disposal to deal with those individuals robustly.”
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