Families are the most common household type in the PRS for the first time, according to the latest research from the National Landlords Association (NLA).

The findings show that more landlords now let to families with children (48 per cent) than any other household type, overtaking young couples (47 per cent).

This represents a shift compared to four years ago, when young singles made up the largest group (53 per cent), followed by young couples (51 per cent), and then families with children (51 per cent).

For the majority of families surveyed, renting privately is a stable option, with almost 8 in 10 (76 per cent) reporting they were happy with the length of their tenancy and a similar proportion (79 per cent) reporting their tenancy was renewed or stayed the same at the end of the initial fixed term.

Richard Lambert, CEO, said, “There is a genuine contrast between the experience of renting in the 21st century shown in this research and the prevailing housing culture in Britain that only views it as a stopgap – something to be tolerated while waiting for the opportunity to buy your own house.”