Precarious Lives: Exploring Lived Experiences in the Private Rented Sector

While some research had been undertaken in Salford around the size and nature of the private rented sector (PRS), very little was known about the lived experience of being a ‘private renter’, and how living in this tenure intersects with other vulnerabilities such as low paid and insecure employment, health problems, benefit take up, etc. (see, however, Citizens Advice Salford’s 2016 report on private tenants seeking their help). As such, the overall aim of this project was to provide an empirically informed understanding of the experience of a diverse range of private rented tenants in the lower rental market in Salford in order to inform future policy and practice. The final report attracted local and national media attention, including featuring on an ITV news series on housing.

Team: Lisa Scullion with Andrea Gibbons and Phil Martin