Renting an apartment has a negative impact on our health. Surprising research results

Scientists argue that the lack of a sense of security among tenants and high real estate rental prices are harmful to health and shorten life.

Rent a flat. High rental costs

A new housing estate in Warsaw’s Mokotów district. There are almost three hundred apartments in several buildings. More than half of them are occupied by tenants, and their percentage is constantly growing. Each rental offer posted on an advertising website is responded to by a dozen or so people. To sign a contract with the owner of the apartment, you have to go through a longer procedure than during a job interview.

The long list includes castings, two-stage interviews, declarations not to smoke or keep pets, as well as written commitments to pay on time. Then you have to overcome numerous competition and pay a high deposit. You have to pay PLN 4,000 to rent a small two-room apartment. PLN per month. Larger apartments cost PLN 7,000. zloty.

Renting an apartment can be very stressful

– Renting an apartment is more stressful than changing employers. I went to ten such meetings and nothing. When I called the owners, most often they replied that the answers I gave were not what they expected – says Mr. Adam, a salesman by profession. He has been living in the Mokotów housing estate since September. – It worked after acquaintance. My friend offered me one room because he wasn’t making any money financially. Now we divide all fees in half – he adds.

Mr. Adam admits that during conversations with neighbors or colleagues, the topic of rent and high apartment rental fees comes up very often. – Renting a room with all the fees takes half of my salary. I take each additional order so as not to think whether it will be enough for the first one or whether I will have to give up something – he points out.

Tenants say they are constantly stressed. “We need to tighten our belts”

Internet users on social media express similar opinions. – We both work and rent an apartment in Warsaw. One salary goes towards renting an apartment and utilities. The second one is for everyday life. We have no debts, but sometimes we have to tighten our belts. I didn’t know renting could be so stressful – wrote Mrs. Anna, who, together with her husband, changed apartments twice due to high fees. Numerous publications and scientific studies have been written about the stress associated with renting real estate.

Other Internet users are afraid that they will always have to live in apartments that are not their own. Apartment prices have skyrocketed. “We can’t afford to buy our own M. We would have to work for two companies. “The only option left is to rent or return to your hometown.” – they add.

“Renting an apartment is harmful to your health and shortens your life,” according to the latest research conducted jointly by scientists from the Australian University of Adelaide and the British University of Essex. “The lack of a sense of security among tenants and high apartment rental prices are of great importance” – the researchers emphasize in their study.

Apartment rental. Research shows a negative impact on health

“According to scientists, the negative impact of renting on health is greater than in the case of job loss or the effects of smoking on former smokers,” we read in the “Rzeczpospolita” daily. However, this is not the end of the problems for people who do not have their own apartments.

The newspaper quotes the results of a study published in the scientific journal “Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health”. After analyzing 1,420 surveys, scientists concluded that the various difficulties associated with renting an apartment from someone are strongly related to the faster biological aging process in these people. And this, in turn, affects many other aspects.

Scientists want to repeat the study on a much larger scale

“Policies aimed at reducing the stress and uncertainty associated with renting apartments, for example preventing unjustified evictions, limiting rent increases or improving housing conditions, can reduce the negative effects on tenants’ health” – says the co-author of the study, Professor Emma Baker from the University of Adelaide.

Perhaps such a study will also be conducted in our country. Scientists plan to repeat the study on a much larger scale. They want to learn the opinions of tenants in other countries to see if the relationship between renting an apartment and the aging process changes over time.