MORE than half of tenants are forced to rent because they are unable to buy their own home.

And only a quarter of those in rental accommodation are there by choice, according to renters surveyed by Threshold.

Renters said lack of security of tenure, poor standards and the high rents make rental properties undesirable places to live.

Housing charity Threshold carried out a survey of 220 renters in conjunction with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

It found that 56pc of respondents said they rent because they are unable to buy their own home.

Some 61pc wish to own their own home within five years, but only 30pc expect they will be able to do so.

Less than half feel secure in their rented home.

An overwhelming majority found it difficult, or extremely difficult, to find a secure home.

When asked why they are renting their home, only a quarter of respondents said that they are renting by choice.

Threshold chief executive John-Mark McCafferty said: “The findings of our latest Tenant Sentiment Survey expose the lack of security of tenure, the poor standards and the high rents that we already know are making the private rented sector an undesirable place to live.”

He said that renting in its current form cannot offer a home for life.

“The Government must recognise that renting is no longer the stepping stone to home-ownership that it once was for many.

“Changes must be introduced to make the private-rented sector a viable housing option for all.”

A generally-accepted rule of thumb is that renters should be expected pay approximately one third of their income on housing costs. Banks apply a similar standard in providing mortgages.

However, half of respondents said that they are paying more than 30pc of their income on rent.

Mr McCafferty said: “For those on higher incomes, paying more than 30pc of income on rent may have little impact on their disposable income.

“However, respondents on lower incomes were more likely to be paying a higher proportion of their take-home pay on rent.”

He said that when bills and other payments are factored in, some renters could face a situation where they have very little money left over for other basic living expenses.

It comes as Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is to cap rent increases in rent pressure zones in line with inflation, with a ban on evictions of struggling tenants to be put in place for the rest of the year.

The Threshold survey found that less than half of respondents feel secure in their home.

A third do not feel secure, and 17pc feel neither secure nor insecure.

Those renting their current home for more than six years were more likely to report feelings of insecurity.

And those renting their current home for five years or more were more likely to report a negative relationship with their landlord.

The majority of respondents find it difficult, or extremely difficult, to find a secure home in the private rented sector.

One-parent families were most likely to find it extremely difficult to find rental accommodation, followed by two-parent families, singles and couples.