Britain’s tenants would overwhelmingly support the appointment of a government minister solely responsible for tenancy issues, according to agents Your Move and Reeds Rains. 

The agencies’ recent survey of first-time buyers and tenants found that over 60% think that the idea of a ‘Tenant’s Minister’ is a good one. 

This is compared to only 15% of respondents who felt that it was a bad idea. 

Of the tenants surveyed, just over one in ten (11.2%) said they feel they will be able to get on to the housing ladder in the next twelve months, down from 13.4% recorded last April. 

The study suggests that long-term renting is becoming increasingly common as 13% of participants said they feel they will never be able to own their own home.  

Adrian Gill, director of Your Move and Reeds Rains, says that if there ever were to be a cabinet minister dedicated to the needs of tenants, it would be interesting to see whether it would cause a drastic change in the way renting is viewed in the UK. 
 
“If the flexibility of renting, which most people see as a bonus, can be combined with the stability and reassurance that a Minister for Tenants could provide, it could create a golden formula that makes renting a better long-term, as well as short-term, option for many individuals and families,” he says.