Charity fears Brent families are being priced out of renting in the private sector

Monthly net income needed to be able to afford a two-bedroom home is almost �4,000

A family in the borough would have to take home �3,857 a month to enable them to afford to rent a two-bedroom home privately, a housing charity has claimed.

According to figures complied by Shelter, who define that rent should not cost more than a third of household income, renting a two-bedroom home in Brent is unaffordable for families earning less than �59,400.

The figure eclipses those living in neighbouring boroughs such as Harrow and Ealing, but it is lower than Camden, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.

The charity claims that with the typical London household income earning less than �35,000, growing numbers of families are paying up to half of their wages on rent – leaving them at crisis point.

The charity has launched a campaign demanding that the next Mayor use their influence to make housing a top priority by brokering a deal which protects families from crippling rents.

Campbell Robb, Shelter chief executive, said: “These findings paint a worrying picture of families across Brent being stretched to the limit by the high cost of renting, praying they won’t be hit by another rent rise that could tip them over the edge.

“Brent’s renters will be looking to the next Mayor to fix London’s out-of-control rental market, and give them some stability and predictability with their housing cost.”

For more information about Shelter’s campaign visit homesforlondon.org.uk/rent .

According to figures complied by the National Housing Federation there were approximately 21,737 families on the borough’s waiting list for social housing in 2010 – the second highest in London.