Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The English Private Landlord Survey (EPLS) is a national survey commissioned by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). It surveys private landlords and letting agents in England, and collects information about their circumstances, their properties, their tenants, and the possible impact of legislative and policy changes in the sector. The aim of the EPLS is to inform government understanding of the characteristics and experiences of landlords and how they acquire, let, manage and maintain privately rented accommodation.Although the EPLS explores similar issues to previous government private landlord surveys, carried out in 2001, 2003, 2006 and 2010 (the 2010 study is available under SN 7114), it uses a new method and approach. Whereas previous surveys used face-to-face and telephone interviews with the sample drawn from the English Housing Survey, the EPLS uses an online survey with the sample drawn from landlords and agents with deposits registered with one of the three government-backed Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) schemes.More information about this survey can be found on the GOV.UK English Private Landlord Survey webpage.

Link to published 2021 report:  https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-private-landlord-survey-2021-main-report

Main Topics:The questionnaire included questions about the landlord, the rental property and tenants, rental practice, rents and deposits, benefits and rent arrears, tenancies that ended, the landlord journey, future plans, landlord and agent concerns, finances and taxation and energy efficiency and safety.

Views and practices of private landlords in England

Multi-stage stratified random sample

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)