Out in the cold

The housing problems of young people

Fergal O'Kane, web developer at Housing Rights Service explains the specific housing problems faced by young people and introduces a housing advice website specifically aimed at them.

Recent reports have highlighted the problems in accessing accommodation in Northern Ireland – most notably problems with landlords and deposits. However, the problem around tenancy deposits is only one area in which young people face serious difficulties. Young people are at greater risk of experiencing housing problems, largely down to a lack of awareness of their housing rights. Moreover, government policy is increasing the difficulties young people face.

Young people looking to leave home have significant problems finding suitable accommodation. There is a long waiting list for social housing and, unlike the rest of the UK, under 18s do not automatically get priority need. Buying a house is beyond the means of the vast majority of young people, leaving renting privately as the only realistic long term option for most of them.
Young people find it difficult to get private sector rented accommodation for two major reasons. First, many landlords are unwilling to let their property to young people as there is a perception that they will be problematic tenants. Secondly, people under eighteen are unable to sign a tenancy agreement. They need a guarantor who is willing to sign the tenancy agreement for them. Indeed, many landlords will only let a young person move in if he or she has a guarantor. This can obviously be a serious issue for young people seeking to leave home because of problems within their family.

Even if a young person manages to find private accommodation, paying for it can be difficult. Rents have increased markedly, and Housing Benefit levels have not kept abreast of the rises. For single people under 25, the level of Housing Benefit available is restricted further under the single room rent regulations. This limits the amount of Housing Benefit available to single people under 25 without children to that deemed to be appropriate for single room accommodation with a shared kitchen, living room and toilet.

Recent research by the Department for Work and Pensions1 has highlighted the devastating effect that the introduction of the single room rent has had on the ability of under 25s to access private sector rented accommodation. The research found that young people were facing an average shortfall of £35.14 per week, more than double the shortfall of regular Housing Benefit claimants. The single room rent along with the reported reluctance of landlords to let to young people has led to a situation where young people are entering informal lettings, using friends’ floors or are faced with the long wait for social housing.

The question must be asked: how does government reconcile the impact of the single room rent on young people with other initiatives such as preventing homelessness, building sustainable communities and conveying a positive message to young people about their role in society? The importance of a stable housing base for health, education and employment was an integral part of the ‘Promoting Social Inclusion of Homeless people’ consultation paper. Yet the single room rent, added to the overall lack of regulation within the private rented sector, has meant that young people are at more risk of living in unstable accommodation.

Housing Rights Service recognises that young people are at greater risk of experiencing housing problems because of a lack of awareness of their housing rights such as, for example, the availability of a discretionary housing payment to overcome a Housing Benefit shortfall. To help young people with common housing problems, the charity has developed a unique advice website in conjunction with Shelter, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the VodafoneUK Foundation. The site www. housingadviceNI.org allows young people to access online housing information to help them avoid the pitfalls and face any housing problem with more confidence.

1 Harvey and Houston, Research into Single Room Rent regulations. 2005

© Law Centre (NI) 2006