Public information campaigns are needed to raise awareness of the consequences of not turning the heating on as often in rented properties, says the NRLA.

When quizzing 2,000 tenants in England and Wales about the impact rising utility bills have had on their household budget, the landlord group found more than half (53%) had limited heating and hot water times or turned off heating in certain rooms during the winter.

There was an even split between those who had experienced problems with damp, mould, or condensation and those who had not, says the NRLA which adds that 44% of landlords felt rising energy prices and the heating being on less had a 'significant or major influence'� on issues with damp, mould and condensation compared with only 28% of tenants.

Contrasting viewpoints

'The contrasting viewpoints underlines the need for public information campaigns to increase understanding of the consequences of not turning the heating on as often in a property,'� it reports. 'More should be done to inform stakeholders about the consequences of not having the heating on during winter.'�

Most tenants surveyed '� over 80% - have had to make some form of cutbacks elsewhere in their household budgets as a result of rising utility bills; of the 14% of tenants who had broached the topic with their landlord, two-thirds (66%) of landlords had provided practical help.

Cash deposit

Elsewhere, research by deposit alternative product Reposit found that nearly one third of renters are turning to friends and family, using credit cards, personal loans or dipping into their overdraft to fund a cash deposit, while some are using more than one of these sources.

Meanwhile, Which? estimates that 700,000 UK households missed or defaulted on a rent or mortgage payment last month. The consumer body says missed housing payments were particularly high among renters, affecting one in 20 tenants surveyed.