Everyone needs a roof over their heads, and in this day and age we can be thankful that the majority of us have four walls and a ceiling.

However, the spiralling cost of housing, brought on by a mix of Britain's wildly unequal land ownership, property speculation, and stagnant wages, has left many reliant on renting as they cannot afford to own their own homes.

For some, this has left them locked out of the property market, but still comfortable in well-kept rented accommodation

For others, it has left them at the mercy of unscrupulous landlords who know tenants have little choice, especially those in receipt of benefits, and who do the bare minimum - and sometimes not even that - to keep their properties inhabitable.

Take the case of Tracey Bailey, a mother of five children, three of whom have disabilities, who says her landlord has refused to carry out repair work which has left her flat covered uninhabitable. Unfortunately, Mrs Bailey has nowhere else to go, and so has had to stay in her apartment which she says is making her children sick.

But renters have rights - and help is at hand. The local council, Environmental Health, and housing charity Shelter all have dedicated staff that can help. Go to https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice for advice.