New survey reveals renter dreams and doubts

October 16, 2026 by Brendan O'Neill

Renting

A new survey of people in private rented accommodation shows that the majority would like to buy, but do not believe it will be possible.

This is the key finding of a study by TDS Charitable Foundation. Its findings are based on the results of a survey of over 2,000 people in England who rent in the private sector. Three quarters of those who took part in this survey stated that owning a home of their own was something they really wanted. However, 44% of them said they do not think they will ever manage to do so.

Over half of the people who were polled stated that they would like to move out of their existing accommodation, but do not feel able to. Close to half of them – 47% to be exact – said that locating suitable accommodation had been hard.

While some of the findings from this survey may seem bleak, they do reveal a potential market for mortgage advisors. With three quarters of private renters keen to buy, there is a big first-time buyer market lying untapped.

Most of those who feel trapped in the rental sector do not know what options are available. This is where the help of an advisor can make all the difference. Ongoing schemes include Lifetime ISAs, the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme and the First Homes one.

At a time of considerable regional affordability variance, advisors with a grasp of their local housing markets can prove to be invaluable too.

This is something for advisors with CeMAP training to capitalise on.