With UK tenants facing soaring rents, poor conditions, a lack of security and unfair practices from landlords and letting agents - the private rented sector is high on the public and political agenda. The Government says it wants to fix this yet it doesn’t even know how many landlords there are in the country.

Alex Hilton, Director of housing organisation Generation Rent, makes a plea for open data that can inform policy, drive up standards and help renters to get a better deal.