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Renters' eviction fears stop complaints to landlords

Thousands of renters in Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire are too scared of being evicted to ask their private landlord to fix a problem in their home, according to Shelter research.

A YouGov poll found that 1 in 14 renters in the region avoided asking their landlord to repair a problem or improve conditions in the last year because they feared eviction.

More than a third (37%) of renters in the region have experienced problems with mould in their homes in the past year, while just under a quarter (23%) have lived with a leaking roof or windows, and 17% have had electrical hazards.

No-one should lose their home for asking their landlord to fix a problem, yet these shocking findings uncover the true scale of unfair evictions taking place across the country.

As homeownership drifts further out of reach, more of us are facing the prospect of settling down and bringing up a family in a rented home. But with private renters facing the worst housing conditions in the country - and the chance of eviction if they complain - generation rent is getting a raw deal. The government must protect England's nine million renters from unfair evictions.

We're calling on people across the country to sign our petition and send the government a message that England's nine million renters deserve better, now.

– Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter