'Better Homes for Britain'

'Better Homes for Britain' PR Newswire LONDON, October 10, 2012 LONDON, October 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- British Gas & Shelter Join Forces to Tackle Britain's Housing Crisis 1 in 3 Private Rented Homes Not 'Decent' to Live in[1] For the attention of England-based media British Gas, Britain's biggest energy supplier, and Shelter, the housing charity, have today announced a major five-year partnership that will help one million British households improve the standard of their homes. 'Better Homes for Britain': A blueprint for change British Gas and Shelter are today setting out 'Better Homes for Britain'; a joint three-point plan for improving standards in the private rented sector, which includes: 1. A joint commitment to improve the standard of one million homes in the private rented sector over the next five years 2. Helping private landlords meet the statutory minimum standard for private rented homes 3. Policy recommendations to raise standards in the private rented sector The private rented sector: taking action to support families Since 2001, the number of private rented homes has grown from 2.06m to 3.62m households (a rise of 75%). The growth in the rental sector is set to increase with 22% of all households living in privately rented homes by 2025. As the number of private rented homes has grown, so too has the number of homes which fail to meet a basic living standard. Around 1.