Rentals cannot take the strain of UK housing shortage

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The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) conducted the poll to assess the state of the Private Rented Sector (PRS).

More than half (58 per cent) of respondents at the 2010 ARLA annual conference highlighted the issue of insufficient supply of rental stock as the biggest issue facing the sector.

Ian Potter, operations manager at ARLA, said: "This is a very serious issue. At the end of last year we highlighted that a lack of properties will be a defining factor in the housing market in 2010 and our member agents across the country have confirmed this opinion as fact.

"The UK is in dire need of good quality rental accommodation to counter the lack of broader housing supply across the country and the PRS needs tangible Government support to help achieve this. This should be in the shape of incentives for improvements on older properties, assistance for landlords in gaining mortgage finance, and regulation to drive unethical letting agents out of the industry.

"2010 has already brought a number of Government proposals for the PRS but few firm decisions. Significant policy decisions will be set out in the coming months of the election and it is imperative that all the parties factor the PRS into their strategies on the national housing supply."