Renters ‘put lives on hold’

TWO in five private renters are delaying starting a family until they have their own home, a poll found.

Shelter chief executive Polly Neate said: “Short, unstable contracts and the high cost of renting mean many private renters don’t have the security they need to settle down.

“The Government must build more genuinely affordable homes.”

In 2016 2.2 million couples – 17% of the total number – were renting. Five million owned homes.