Social science research from the UK has examined ‘tenancy sustainment’ (the support provided to at-risk tenants to keep their social housing and avoid homelessness). The study identifies various challenges in delivering help to tenants. The report provides guidance to help social housing landlords to improve their policies and practices.

The Holding Onto Home report finds that 9% of renters in the study were in arrears, plus, an additional 70% were struggling to pay their rent.

Tenants prioritise paying their rent over other essential items.

Over two-thirds of renters (69%) were making sacrifices in order to pay their rent. This includes not eating, selling possessions, borrowing money or not using heating.

The research shows that renters employ a high level of skill in money management in order to avoid arrears. It’s not lack of budgeting or extravagance that creates issues, but rather low income, precarious employment, and lack of savings. The introduction of Universal Credit has also contributed to rent arrears. This is a monthly* government payment replacing multiple social welfare payments, including child tax credit, housing benefits, and income support. (*Except in Scotland, where it’s paid fortnightly.)

Tenants in social housing feel ‘too nervous’, ‘too embarrassed’, and ‘too worried’ to reach out to their landlords for help. Over half prefer telephone communication when discussing issues relating to their rent (58%) compared to face-to-face conversations (10%).

Landlords face increasing demand for their services due to financial pressures. They struggle to respond effectively to the vulnerability of social housing tenants. They also suffer due to siloed ways of working, and experience difficulties in reaching tenants who have fallen into arrears. These issues made it tougher to proactively reach out to tenants who are struggling to make ends meet.

The research provides a guide for landlords, including case studies, for more effective interventions. The guide details three strategies:

• Generating accurate, relevant data: landlords rely on rent arrears figures and intervene once debt has reached a specific amount. A better model would be to use technology that tracks the needs of low-income households more broadly, rather than waiting until financial problems get out of control
• Maximising tenant incomes: Benefit checks, debt advice, financial inclusion teams, welfare funds, and employment support are more effective than reminders to pay the rent on time
• Improving communications and engagement: landlords who focus on the tenants as a problem or as a burden to manage, as well as showing lack of empathy for tenants lead to poor outcomes. Productive discussions focus on understanding the needs of tenants, shared responsibility, and mutually-beneficial solutions.

The two-year research involved:

• a survey of 1,213 social housing tenants
• interviews with tenants, stakeholders, landlords, and support organisations
• analysis of the rent accounts of 38,456 tenants
• analysis of tenant diaries
• 140 telephone conversations between landlords and tenants about rent payment issues.

The research was led by Professor Paul Hickman, Dr Kesia Reeve and colleagues at Sheffield Hallam University, in collaboration with other research and housing organisations. Prof Hickman is Professor of Housing and Social Policy within the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics.

Read the report and guide for landlords: https://holdingontohome.org/the-holding-on-to-home-studys-main-outputs-have-been-published/