Research into the English Private Rented Sector

Please note: the invitation for expressions of interest is now closed, and we are in the process of appointing delivery partners. Further details will be provided in Spring 2025.

Why we are funding this project

Changes in regulation of the English private rented sector (PRS), coupled with intense pressures in the housing market, are driving an increased focus on the PRS and its appropriate role within the housing system. There is a clear need for a deeper understanding of how the PRS operates, what effect this is having, and what change we might want to prevent or encourage to ensure it supports renters. While there is much commentary and debate about these questions already, there is not yet any systemic research to answer the above questions.

The Nationwide Foundation has identified further research into the English PRS as a key priority and intends to fund further research over the next several years across multiple phases. There are many existing and emerging research areas within the PRS that could benefit from an increased understanding, and we will prioritise funding research into those areas which we believe we need to understand the most urgently to drive long-term positive systemic change to the sector.

Strategic purpose

• To deliver systemic change in the private rented sector which improves the lives of renters, particularly those who are most vulnerable to harm.

• To ensure a collective acceptance amongst powerholders and stakeholders across the PRS of the need for systemic change, and create the confidence to carry out systemic change without fear of unintended consequences.

Project description

Phase one
We have funded a scoping exercise to identify what further research would drive positive change in the English PRS. A forthcoming report will set out further details of the work and findings of this phase (phase one).

Phase two (current phase)
For phase two of this research programme, we have selected three areas for research which encompass important but under-analysed actors in the sector:

1. The role and behaviour of letting agents: 52% of landlords use a letting agent to let or manage a property, but no major research project has analysed the impact of letting agent practice. We anticipate this research supporting understanding of how to better regulate letting agents to encourage them to deliver professional management practices that can drive up standards.
2. Establishing the scale and impact of the mediated market: The ‘mediated market’ are those areas of the PRS where letting is arranged via an intermediary agency, for example temporary accommodation for homeless households or people seeking asylum. There is little evidence of how the market works, the impacts on supply, or tenant experience, so we anticipate this research will build an understanding of this market and steps that can be taken to address challenges with it.
3. Assessing the local impact of build to rent (BTR): BTR is a small but growing part of the PRS, and often justified as a potential solution to problems in the PRS by increasing stock and making it professionalised and higher quality. There has not yet been any independent research to verify this, and research will investigate the extent to which BTR delivers affordable and high-quality housing for local households.

The invitation for expressions of interest is now closed, and we are in the process of appointing delivery partners. Further details will be provided in Spring 2025.

Phase three
We anticipate completing further phases of research in the future, and will provide more information as our programme of work develops.

Back to funding 2016–present