Rents in England (the country where the hashtag originated from) eat up household income and push people into financial hardship. According to reports, one in four private renters in England lives in poverty.
Also, more than half of the families with children living in private rented accommodation are below the poverty line. "We need rent controls that bring rents down to 30% of median local income, following the accepted yardstick of affordability," This National Renters Manifesto, created by Generation Rent and a few other organizations suggests. "Rent controls should be introduced incrementally, to prevent negative consequences for current tenants, and should be accompanied by a massive increase in public housebuilding."
A serious problem is that the majority of renters lack basic control over their home environment, even though being able to make decisions relating to one’s home is important for their well-being. "Private renters should have more control over their homes, including the right to install aids and adaptations to make their homes accessible, to redecorate, and to keep pets." The manifesto also says that tenants should be able to carry out anything short of structural changes that will improve their quality of life and allow them to flourish in their homes.
However, whether or not the tenants will be heard relies heavily on how well will they be able to organize themselves.
