Rent rises: Man living on mum's sofa says there is 'no escape'

Rio-Lee Kelly says he feels trapped and he cannot find an affordable home and "make a life"

A 20-year-old man who is homeless has said he feels there is "no escape" from sleeping on his mum's sofa as there is no affordable rental accommodation.

Rio-Lee Kelly said he was served an eviction notice in Gateshead after a landlord complained that he owed rent, a claim he disputes.

He receives Universal Credit and said the monthly rents being advertised were beyond his budget.

Mr Kelly said he would need a minimum of £550 per month.

"That's just not achievable if you are on Universal Credit or on benefits of any sort and under 35, as you are only getting £370 to spend on that home," he said.

The government said it planned to reform the private rental sector, increase social housing and abolish no-fault evictions.

Mr Kelly said: "Honestly it puts me in a massive depression and I'm sure it does many young people because you can't escape.

"You can't find your own home. You can't go out and make a life for yourself."

Citizens Advice said the number of private renters asking for help had doubled in the last year

Recent research by the Zoopla website suggested parts of the North East including South Tyneside, Newcastle and Redcar have seen rent rises in the private sector of more than 9% in the last year.

Staff at Citizens Advice in the North East have seen a doubling in the number of private renters coming forward with problems in the last 12 months.

Housing Team Supervisor Fiona Luckhurst-Matthews said an increasing number of tenants were being evicted because they could not afford rising rent levels.

"The private sector is already priced out of the market for them," she said.

"They are then reliant on social housing and at the moment the local authorities and housing associations just don't have the stock of accommodation available."

The government says it is committed to increasing the supply of social rented homes, as well as new homes

A government spokesman said: "The government will deliver a fairer private rented sector for tenants and landlords through the Renters Reform Bill.

"It will also abolish Section 21 no fault evictions to give tenants greater security in their homes.

"In our Levelling Up White Paper, we committed to increasing the supply of social rented homes and a large number of the new homes delivered through our £11.5bn Affordable Homes Programme will be for social rent."

The full report and reaction from local MPs is on BBC Politics North (North East and Cumbria) on BBC i-Player.