The results of a survey of 2,000 people conducted by an online letting agency appear to make sombre reading for letting agents and the rest of the industry.

The survey, for LetBritain, shows that 67 per cent felt the government was out of touch with the needs of renters and 70 per cent backed banning letting agents’ fees levied on tenants and felt that more should be done to assist renters

More positively, other findings suggested that 49 per cent of Londoners who rent chose to do so, so they could live in a higher calibre of property than they could possibly afford to buy; the same principle applies to 39 per cent of renters across the rest of the UK. 

Some 64 per cent of respondents believed renting is going to become more difficult over the next five years. 

“Whilst many renters work hard to enter the property market they do not feel government understands the issues faced by tenants. The findings show that Generation Rent is now increasingly looking to buy properties outside of their chosen place of residence” says a spokesman for the agency.