It is “virtually impossible” for working families on moderate incomes to find somewhere to rent in Epping Forest, a study has found.

People relying on housing allowance face the worst difficulties, claims the report published by the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) on Friday (April 24).

On four surveyed days between January and March, there were no two-bedroom houses or flats - the smallest properties realistically needed for families -  available to rent within the local housing allowance.

Average rents for two-bedroom properties were cheapest in Ongar but were still 38 per cent higher than the housing allowance available at £990 per month, and in Buckhurst Hill the average rent was 50 per cent higher than the allowance at £1,260.

The results show that families on low or moderate incomes face being “driven away”, the CAB claims.

CAB district manager Rachel Poulter said: “This report confirms our advisers’ impression:  it is extremely difficult for families to find affordable rental properties in the private rental sector in the Epping Forest district.

“If we do not want to see families on even moderate wages driven out of the area policymakers need to take this issue seriously and look for solutions.”

The CAB study follows a report from housing association Moat, which claimed Epping Forest families will struggle to pay for heating and food if a Conservative government implements a planned benefit cap of £23,000 a year.

Reacting to Friday’s report, Epping Forest Labour parliamentary candidate Gareth Barrett said his party would cap private rents, introduce restrictions on letting agency charges and show preference for local buyers, as well as building new homes around the country and introducing a “use it or lose it” policy for developers.

He said: “The report offers the stark reality of the effect of the private rental market in Epping Forest, especially the comments relating to how the coalition government’s changes to housing benefit has affected local families.

“The effect of these changes on working families in Epping Forest has been heavy.”

Mark Wadsworth of the Young People's Party said: "The best short term fix is simply to reintroduce rent caps at significantly below current market prices."

He added: "The medium and long term solutions are the construction of much more very affordable social housing and replacing taxes on earnings and output with taxes on land values." 

The other Epping Forest parliamentary candidates have been contacted for comment.