Many tenants in England did not know their rights or where to get help if they had problems with their landlord or letting agent, research from the TDS charitable foundation found.
Research revealed that six in 10 renters experienced problems with the quality or standard of their accommodation.
Half of tenants said they did not know where to go if their landlord or letting agent failed to fix an issue.
Councils, advice agencies, MPs’ offices and solicitors were found to give tenants wrong or generic advice, often directing them to the council even when better options were available.
The Renters’ Rights Bill is set to bring major changes, such as a new landlord ombudsman.
Researchers said legal changes alone would not solve these issues.
The report called for a single, easy-to-access source of housing advice, better training for frontline staff, and stronger rules on transparency for landlords and agents.
Dr Jennifer Harris, head of policy and research at TDS group, said: “Worryingly, many of the tenants we spoke to felt they had no choice but to accept the situation or move out when they were facing challenges with their landlord or letting agent.
“Most said they found navigating the dispute resolution landscape difficult and frustrating. This is a clear sign that the current system is not working.
“If people don’t know their rights or where to go for help, the new protections included in the Renters’ Rights Bill will be meaningless.”
Harris added: “We urgently need clearer information, stronger advice services, and much better signposting from the organisations renters rely on.”
