How many private renters are there in Hounslow?
in 2020 there were 84,200 private renters in the borough according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), up from 82,500 private renters in 2015. The current figure is probably higher. So, there are plenty of private renters to campaign with.
If renting is so bad, why don’t private renters just buy a house?
In 2021, the average house in Hounslow cost 14 times more than average earnings, according to the Office of National Statistics, having increased from 12.58 times the average local annual income in 2016.
Why can’t they get a council house then?
As of April 2021, there were 3,338 households on the waiting list for a council property in Hounslow, up from 3,130 households recorded by the ONS in 2016. There is a real shortage of council housing in Hounslow, as in all other London boroughs,.
Looks like we’re stuck in the private rented sector then. What’s it going to cost?
Monthly median average rents for Hounslow, recorded by the Valuation Office Agency, are below. Remember, these figures don’t include fuel or council tax bills:
According to the Office for National Statistics, in the 12 months leading up to September 2022, median (average) monthly rents for Hounslow were:
Room in a shared house: £550
One-bedroom flat: £1,150
Two-bedroom flat: £1,375
Three-bedroom flat: £1,650
House with four or more bedrooms: £2,000
That’s a lot. I guess that means a lot of private renters have to claim housing benefit to stay alive then?
Yes, over 7,000 people in Hounslow claim housing benefit to help cover their private rents in 2015. We don’t have more recent data but the current figure is expected to be higher.
And does housing benefit cover it?
No. The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is the maximum amount of housing benefit you can get, regardless of whether you’re a private renter (renting from a private landlord) or a social renter (renting from the council or a housing association). The monthly LHA in Hounslow depends on which part of the borough you live in. To view maps of these different areas, click here. As of 1 April 2024, the different rates are:
Inner West London
Shared Accommodation Rate: £757.90
One Bedroom Rate: £1346.38
Two Bedrooms Rate: £1620.54
Three Bedrooms Rate: £2044.38
Four Bedrooms Rate: £2543.02
Outer South West London
Shared Accommodation Rate: £589.90
One Bedroom Rate: £1196.69
Two Bedrooms Rate: £1490.88
Three Bedrooms Rate: £1795.08
Four Bedrooms Rate:£2543.02
Outer West London
Shared Accommodation Rate: £573.30
One Bedroom Rate: £997.27
Two Bedrooms Rate: £1296.45
Three Bedrooms Rate: £1470.95
Four Bedrooms Rate: £1795.08
Can I talk to someone at the council about problems with my private landlord?
Citizens Advice Hounslow offers free information and advice to help people resolve their housing issues. Alternatively you can email the housing services team- or visit them in person:
Housing Client Service
Civic Centre
Lampton Road
Hounslow
TW3 4DN
For other difficulties with your landlord, the council recommends you seek advice from Shelter
Do private landlords in Hounslow have to get a licence?
All councils have to license properties which are Houses in Multiple Occupation, where three or more people who are not all members of the same family share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.
You can find a list of all registered Houses in Multiple Occupation here
Does Hounslow Council have a stand alone PRS strategy in its housing policy?
Yes, Hounslow Council wants to see private renting in the borough move away from rogue landlords, and into ‘a healthy functioning private rented sector meeting housing need’.
According to the housing policy, they will do this by:
- Increasing the use of the private rented sector to discharge the council’s homelessness duty, and reduce the need for temporary accommodation.
- Incentivising landlords to work with the borough through the Let-Start Scheme and the Private Sector Leasing scheme.
- Working with institutional developers, and registered providers, to encourage the right mix of housing, including large-scale private market rent scheme.
- Using grants and legislative powers to bring empty dwellings back into use to meet housing needs.
Does Hounslow Council have a PRS forum where private renters can discuss ways of making private renting fairer?
No, but as they do have one for landlords, it might be a good idea to suggest a renters’ forum to the council!
How many prosecutions has Hounslow Council made against criminal landlords?
Since August 2020, when Hounslow Council first introduced Additional licensing, they have issued 937 warnings of formal enforcement action; 652 notices requesting gas and electrical safety certificates to be provided; 135 notices to remediate housing defects or prohibit hazardous accommodation and 51 civil penalty fines. As well as this prosecution back in 2023, failure to comply with enforcement notices resulted in this high-profile prosecution .
Every council is divided between Councillors, who are elected politicians, and non-political officers, who are appointed to do a particular job. You could contact any one of your Ward Councillors. Additionally, in Hounslow, these people should be able to help:
Councillor Sue Sampson
Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Homelessness
email:
mob.: 07432 619 093
Councillor Samia Chaudhary
Cabinet Member for Adults and Health Integration
email:
mob.: 07817 077182
Councillor Ajmer Grewal,
Cabinet Member for Safety (including violence against women & girls and domestic violence)
email:
mob.: 07961 451 562