Millions of renters feel trapped despite aspiring to own a home
Three quarters of renters would like to buy their own home, yet over four in ten expect to rent for the rest of their lives, according to new research.
The nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 private renters in England, conducted by the TDS Charitable Foundation, also found that more than half (51%) of renters say they would like to move out of their current property but feel unable to.
At the same time, 76% would like to buy their own home, yet 44% expect to rent for the rest of their lives – highlighting a considerable gap between renters’ housing aspirations and what they believe is realistically achievable.
The findings come as renters continue to face significant barriers when looking for a new home. Almost half (47%) said it was difficult to find a suitable property during their last search, pointing to a lack of choice in the market that enables tenants to move to new properties when they want or need to move.
Tenancies are also becoming longer. The average tenancy length in the private rented sector is now estimated at 4.7 years, almost a year longer than a decade ago.
The research also points to growing demand for an alternative to private renting, with almost a third of tenants (30%) saying they would prefer to live in social housing, up from one in five (21%) who said the same last year.
The increase is particularly pronounced among groups facing greater pressures in the rental market. Almost half (47%) of tenants aged 65 or over would prefer social housing, alongside 46% of tenants receiving benefits, 39% of households with children and 35% of those living with a long-term health condition.
Overall, the findings point to the changing role of the private rented sector, with a growing range of households relying on it as a long-term home rather than simply a temporary step towards homeownership.
Dr Jennifer Harris, Head of Policy, Research and Social Impact at the TDS Charitable Foundation, said:
“Our research highlights just how much the private rented sector has changed. What was once a sector associated particularly with students and younger people is now home to a much wider range of households, many of whom expect to remain renters for the long term. It is important that housing policy keeps pace with that changing reality.
“But the clearest message from the findings is the lack of choice many renters feel they have. Three quarters would like to own their own home, yet more than four in ten expect to rent for life, while over half would like to move from their current property but feel unable to do so.
“Reforms to improve renters’ experiences and rights are important, but ultimately we also need to address the shortage of housing options available to people. A significant programme of housebuilding across all tenures – including homes for ownership, private rent and social housing – will be essential if we are to give people genuine choice over where and how they live.”
About the Foundation
The TDS Charitable Foundation works in England and Wales to advance education about housing rights and obligations in the private rented sector, especially in regard to:
Best practice in the management of private rented housing.
Legal rights and obligations of those involved in the provision or management of private rented housing.
Using alternative dispute resolution for more efficient and effective resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
It is funded mainly by donations from The Dispute Service (TDS Group) – the leading Tenancy Deposit Scheme which operates on a non-profit basis across the UK.
About the survey
The Voice of the Tenant Survey is a continuous national survey funded by the TDS Charitable Foundation. It looks at people’s experience of living in the English private rented sector (PRS) and is based on a sample of over 2,000 tenants who are representative of those living in the PRS. This provides details of the sixth survey conducted in March 2026.
The full results of the survey are available here.
About TDS
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme is part of The Dispute Service (TDS), the largest tenancy deposit protection and resolution service provider in the UK making life easier for tens of thousands of agents, landlords, developers, and millions of tenants and homebuyers. Our award-winning customer service is highly rated on both Trustpilot and Google, and we’re backed by the NRLA. We offer free deposit protection in our Custodial scheme, and the lowest rates for landlords in our Insured scheme.
The views expressed in this content are solely those of the author alone and do not necessarily represent the views of TDS, its officers, or employees.
