Wrexham: high demand for limited rental properties "constant concern"

Amy Price lives with her husband Kieran Price and their two cats Toby and Luna in Hightown, Wrexham. 

Just five months into their tenancy the couple were issued notice forcing them to search for new accomodation.  

Kieran and Amy Price (Image: Amy Price)

Mrs Price said: "The search has not gone well so far, and it got to the point of applying for council housing and to housing associations because when ringing all the estate agents, they all said that landlords do not want tenants with pets, or it would be a case of being told they will accept pets, but they have received many applicants without pets so they would prefer one of them, or it would result in an extra cost."

Mrs Price says unsuccessfully searching for a property has had a huge toll on her family. 

She said: "Every day it is a constant concern. [...] We have until March to find somewhere else, but even without the cats, with the demand being so high, its very unlikely we will be able to private rent."

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Sion Bithell, sales manager for Northwood letting agency in Wrexham, even if a property accepts pets the high demand for rentals means landlords tend to favour those without. 

Mr Bithell said: "Landlords have the pick of tenants."

He continued: "Supply is at an all time low, much lower than in the last 10 or 15 years and the demand is also incredibly high which has pushed the rental market to an unaffordable level."

According to Mr Bithell, the demand for rentals is so high in Wrexham that in the first ten minutes of a property being advertised it tends to receive around 20 phone calls. 

Mr Bithell attributes some of the justification for the high demand on the fact that landlords are selling up their rental properties.

He said: "It is a perfect storm, landlords bought properties when prices were low and the market was flooded and now since covid has pushed the price of properties up many landlords are choosing to sell up and cash in." 

Regarding pet owners, Mr Bithell believes it is not a case of landlords refusing to accept pets in their properties it is just a case of them choosing the tenant with the lowest risk factor. 

He continued: "If nine out of ten people applying for the property don't have a pet then a landlord is likely to favour whatever is the lowest risk and pets do increase the risk level."

The shortage of properties is forcing some tenants to consider giving their pets up for adoption, a heart-breaking decision for Mrs Price.

She said: "We are determined that it won't come to that because they are family and in my eyes, you wouldn't put a child up for adoption if they wouldn't be allowed in a property, so why should people with pets have to think of that as a solution?"

Ginger and Toby (Image: Amy Price)

She continued: "Unless you're lucky enough to own your own property, then no one is able to have a pet, whether it be for comfort, or to feel less alone which many people are feeling these days, then you have to suffer."

"[...]We were lucky enough that our landlord accepted our cats, but now there is added stress to our lives and mental wellbeing because absolutely no landlord will accept pets, and the pain it is causing us is indescribable."