The Fall and Rise of the Private Rented Sector in England

摘要

The private rented sector in England contracted in size continuously over much of the twentieth century, from being the majority tenure at its start to the smallest before its end. It has been a particularly dynamic tenure in recent decades, with a period of substantial decline followed by a period of even stronger recovery. Data from the last five censuses of population have been used to explore the extent to which the size, geography and composition of the private rented sector may have altered. The 40-year period divides into distinct phases either side of 1991: the first two decades comprise the end of decline in private renting, and the following two decades a revival. Despite substantial fluctuations across this period, there were similarities in the characteristics of the private rented sector at its beginning and end, whilst in other respects the sector had evolved.