A new survey reveals that many tenants actually have nice things to say about landlords.
Hold the front page – here’s a story about landlords, but it’s not the sort you’re used to reading.
It doesn’t rely on words like ‘rogue’ or ‘dodgy’, and it doesn’t pit tenants against landlords in an adversarial battle.
Instead, it paints a more nuanced and measured picture of the private rental sector and how tenants and landlords get along.
It’s based on the findings of a survey of 4,000 UK adults, published in a report compiled by the Yorkshire Building Society called No Way Home? Restoring Britain’s Housing Ladder.
What tenants say
The report acknowledges that much of the public discourse casts landlords in a negative light.
But when asked, private renters often had a very different take, with many describing landlords as:
- Reasonable (40%)
- Approachable (40%)
- Fair (36%)
- Responsive (29%)
Tom Simpson, managing director of homes at Yorkshire Building Society, says the findings show “a very different picture among those with direct experience of renting, demonstrating a clear disconnect between perception and reality”.
In the interests of objectivity, the picture wasn’t entirely rosy. In the survey, 8% of renters described landlords as unresponsive and 7% as unreasonable.
But we’re not suggesting that every landlord is perfect, only that we tend to hear about the bad ones. (Bad news makes headlines, while good news often doesn’t make headlines at all.)
So when something goes wrong with a tenancy, it makes the press. When things run smoothly, it doesn’t rate a mention.
As Simpson says: “The vast majority of landlords provide homes that tenants rely on every day, and most are viewed positively by the people living in their properties. While standards must always be maintained and poor practices challenged, it’s important that their contribution is recognised.”
Building a successful tenant/landlord relationship
The most successful tenant/landlord relationships are built on mutual respect and good communication.
Being clear from the outset about each party’s roles and responsibilities is critical. (Disputes often arise from confusion.)
The introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act in May, which brought a new layer of complexity to the lettings sector, has only intensified the need for good communication and for both parties to work together.
If you’d like to find out more about our lettings service, contact us today.
