Flat and house-sharers do not want to increase the length of their contracts, according to SpareRoom.co.uk.
A recent report on the affordable housing market recommended increasing the length of tenancy contracts in the UK from six months to 24 months.
However, a survey by SpareRoom found that 82 per cent of flat and house-sharers are opposed to the move.
Although most tenancy contracts include break clauses, effective after a certain period of time, only ten per cent of respondents agreed with the proposals.
Whilst longer tenancies would benefit families needing greater stability, this is not viewed positively amongst house sharers, who tend to be young professionals wishing to stay flexible.
SpareRoom director Matt Hutchinson said: “Extended contracts make people anxious, because they think they’ll be locked in for longer and the landlord will be able to increase rents at any point.
“Given that one of the benefits of renting is the flexibility to relocate to another area or a more suitable property if circumstances change, we can understand why people might be wary of longer contracts.
“Flat sharers also voiced concerns that a 24-month tenancy could place further restrictions on the tenants landlords will accept as they seek to reduce their risk, with stricter rules on deposits and guarantors. It is unclear whether the proponents of these changes have taken such factors into consideration.
“Many landlords would be happy to extend tenancies for good tenants but are precluded from doing so by mortgage lender restrictions. Landlords have voiced their concerns around the provision of longer tenancies, which included the difficulty of evicting bad tenants in the event they damage property or fail to pay their rent.
“A change to rental contracts that discouraged investment in property for rent could in turn serve to exacerbate the housing crisis rather than to resolve it.”
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