Jennifer Lewis, a 55-year-old grandmother-of-two, works five days a week at a supermarket but says surging rental costs have forced her to live like a student in a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) in Cardiff's Cathays student district for the past eight years. She describes the situation as exhausting and frightening, with her health suffering as a result.
Rental costs nearly double in a decade
According to the Office for National Statistics, average rental prices in Cardiff have climbed steadily. In January 2015, the average rent stood at £681 per month. By April 2026, it had reached £1,157 — an increase of nearly 70% over 11 years. Ms Lewis said these prices are “unachievable” for a sole earner like herself. “The prices have just gone up, especially in the housing market, and with that increasing cost it is unachievable for myself as a sole earner,” she said.
Living in fear and poor health
Ms Lewis described securing a place in a shared house as “a blessing” because she cannot “think of the other alternative”. However, she said living in an HMO “brings a certain level of fear” and she does not know “what to expect from each tenant and what could happen at any time”. She added that this creates “quite a high level of alertness which isn’t good for your health overall”.
Ms Lewis suffers from arthritis, which she and her doctors say is exacerbated by her housing conditions. “I have pain every day, although I just think of how I can help myself with stretching and trying to keep my stress levels low,” she said. “That’s where it’s very difficult in a shared house because you’re always on a high alert to protect yourself – it’s a form of self protection.”
Juggling work, childcare, and shared living
Alongside her full-time job, Ms Lewis also cares for her grandchildren, who live with her daughter in north Cardiff. Reflecting on her daily struggles, she said: “Every angle is exhausting. Cooking is exhausting because I’m having to keep everything in my room wrapped up because of rummaging in cupboards in the kitchen, trying to do washing in the short space of time I have isn’t always possible. Drying isn’t always possible because of my time limits – it’s all exhausting.”
Three years on housing waiting list
Ms Lewis has been on Cardiff Council’s housing waiting list for three years but believes she should be given higher priority. “I understand the council has got procedures in place but I am saying now, eight years in shared housing, I am a priority,” she said. She called for more homes to be built and for properties to be distributed more equitably “rather than putting people into strict pigeon holes, whether it’s for medical reasons or other”.
“I don’t feel that the council are looking at people’s cases more personally, because I keep pushing the health, social and safety issues in shared housing and I don’t feel the council are listening and looking at that fully. I am claiming a pension, I’m paying my taxes, I am child-caring and at what point do they think it’s acceptable to class a 55-year-old female living in a shared house a low priority?”
Council response: unprecedented demand
A spokesperson for Cardiff Council acknowledged the pressure on housing, stating: “Cardiff is experiencing unprecedented demand for social housing, with the number of households seeking a home far exceeding the number of properties available. There are currently around 9,700 households on the housing waiting list in Cardiff, highlighting the significant pressure on the city’s housing system.”
The spokesperson explained that applications are assessed in accordance with Cardiff’s Housing Allocations Policy, considering factors such as homelessness, medical or welfare needs, and whether current accommodation significantly impacts health or wellbeing. “Ms Lewis joined the housing waiting list in 2023 and was awarded a medium housing need priority. Her application has been reviewed on a number of occasions and her assessment remains unchanged. Priority for social housing is not awarded on the basis of age alone, although some housing schemes are designated for specific age groups.”
The council added: “While housing preferences do not affect an applicant’s priority, they can significantly affect waiting times. We will be contacting Ms Lewis to discuss her housing options and provide advice on widening her choices, which may increase her opportunities for rehousing. We recognise the challenges many people face in finding affordable housing and are working to increase the supply of social homes across Cardiff as quickly and responsibly as possible. This includes building new council homes including new developments designed for older people, delivering major regeneration schemes, purchasing additional properties and working with housing association partners to provide more affordable homes for local residents.”
