Cracking down on rogue housing landlords, increasing the number of homes rented by large-scale professional operators and stimulating more house building are priorities to improve the private rented sector, housing minister and Keighley MP Kris Hopkins told the Commons.

He said that, while the quality of private rented homes was improving and 83 per cent of private tenants rated their accommodation as good, the sector presented several challenges for the Government.

Mr Hopkins said 80 per cent of private tenants moved by their own choice, with only nine per cent relocating due to the actions of landlords, and ten per cent through agreement with landlords.

He said: “The private rented sector is now bigger than the social sector, so it is important that politicians, practitioners and professionals challenge the behaviour of the small minority of individuals who, owing to the poor-quality provision that their tenants receive, undermine not only the sector, but other people’s businesses.”