The number of renters is growing so fast there will soon be over 100 MPs who represent more renters than home owners.

In research Generation Rent has published today, the number of MPs who have more constituents who rent than own their home has risen from 38 in 2001 (6% of MPs) to 65 in 2011 (10%). If home ownership remains unaffordable and this trend continues, renters will start to outnumber home owners in 104 seats (16%) by 2021. 

This represents a huge increase in political power for renters after a generation of neglect by successive governments. We are calling on MPs to give renters a voice in Westminster by becoming Renter Champions, and we need your help.

Image: Renter majorities in 2021

Generation Rent compared census data for each Parliamentary constituency to find the proportion of the population that rents – either from a private landlord, the council or a housing association – and how this changed between 2001 and 2011. The 2021 forecast was then made by applying this trend to the 2011 figures. The full report is available here.

As home ownership gets increasingly out of reach, ever more people will find themselves as permanent renters throughout their lives.  Unless MPs adapt their priorities to reflect renters' needs then 100 MPs will be irrelevant to their voters by 2020. MPs have one parliament to adapt and we expect any government elected in May next year to be proposing pro-renter policies by June.

Please take two minutes to ask your MP if they’re on the side of renters and to join our list of Renter Champions. Then we’ll know which MPs are serious about making renting a fair and sustainable tenure, and help them make that a reality.

COVERAGE

Independent, 29 October

Guardian, 30 October

Guardian (Datablog), 31 October

Londonist, 31 October

The Observer, 2 November

New Statesman, 5 November

East London Lines, 5 November