Housing campaigners hope a Supreme Court ruling to legally define who should be deemed a landlord will help protect tenants in some of England’s worst rental properties.
They are concerned about a practice – known as rent to rent – which allows a company to rent a whole home from a landlord, and then let rooms individually for profit. They say this often leaves properties in poor condition and tenants with nowhere to turn.
They also believe some owners are using such companies to avoid legal responsibilities and make it hard for tenants to track them down. But some property owners say they too are being deceived by the same rogue operators.