Rent Affordability Survey.
Cheltenham has a population of over 110,000 people living in 55,000 homes. More than 20000 of which are rented. 35%. 1 in 3.
https://forms.gle/gbXA79peUrVHNUpT8
The survey is ongoing but already we can see a pattern.
Cheltenham tenants are feeling the squeeze of an increasingly unaffordable rental market. Many survey respondents report spending over 40% of their income on rent, with some even exceeding 50%. This high rent burden is leaving tenants with little left for other essentials, creating stress and financial instability. Nothing left to spend with local businesses. From young professionals sharing houses to retirees struggling to make ends meet, the impact is felt across diverse demographics. The basic aspiration of comfortable, affordable housing seems to be slipping out of reach for many, replaced by a constant worry about making rent each month.
Housing affordability is a national problem, but Cheltenham has some distinct characterisitics. It feels like Cheltenham Borough Council turns a blind eye. We know there’s a shortage of market-priced affordable housing, truly affordable as determined by tenant income is almost non-existent. The council uses a measure of affordability that hides the real truth of the problem. For most people in the rental market, there is no affordable housing in Cheltenham.
Cheltenham Borough Council's response to this crisis has been seen as inadequate by many respondents. While the council points to some measures to address housing affordability, the survey responses suggest these efforts have fallen short. There's a clear need for more proactive policies to increase the supply of affordable housing.
- Enforce existing regulations in full. Ensure better standards of maintenance and repair in all rental properties.
- Tackle the proliferation of whole property Airbnb, short-term rental, holiday lets and serviced apartments. Start by counting them.
- Tackle the negative impact of the University’s business model. HMOs and shared lettings of family-sized properties that are needed by Cheltenham’s key workers.
It’s time CBC stepped up and started to redress the imbalance of needs tenants with those of landlords and property developers. Remember, tenants pay council tax
It's time for action. It’s time for Cheltenham tenants to make the weight of our numbers count. Start by copying this article into an email. Send it to your local councillor. Ask them what they will do. Tell us what they say. Use the comment section in the survey.
Share this article with everyone you know who rents in Cheltenham. Ask them to join.
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