Damage by tenants and landlords who fail to fix things quickly enough are among the deepest frustrations in the rental process.
April 21, 2015
Landlords who cannot be easily contacted and fail to fix things quickly enough are among the pet peeves of tenants, a new survey has revealed.

And on the other side of the coin, the most frustrating moments for landlords is when they find out tenants have damaged the property and furnishings, according to the findings by insurer Endsleigh.

The relationship between landlords and tenants is not always smooth. But the survey identifies some of the key areas that result in the transaction breaking down, in a bid to help others avoid them.

More than 2,600 tenants and landlords took part in the survey, with 44 per cent saying landlords not fixing things in the property quickly enough was the number one frustration for tenants, followed by not being easily contactable and making quick-fix repairs.

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The survey also suggests that when a tenant left a property due to a dispute with the landlord, more than half of the time this was due to the property being in poor condition, with lack of repairs or damp common reasons for tenants moving out.

It comes as an increasing number of people over 55 are expected to become landlords for the first time as new pension laws mean they can invest their retirement savings in property.

From April 6, dubbed Pension Freedom Day, people will no longer be forced to convert their pension pots into annuities. Instead they will be able to withdraw their money in one go and spend or invest it as they wish - such as in property.

Endsleigh's lettings and landlords manager Marcus Latchford said: “Property maintenance is key to ensuring a good working relationship between both tenants and landlords. Tenants want to live in a safe and comfortable home, while landlords want to rent to conscientious tenants who’ll look after the property and provide a reliable stream of income. Landlords should prioritise property maintenance if they want tenancies to last longer and save money sourcing new tenants, and tenants shouldn’t worry about contacting their landlord when the property requires a repair.”

Article taken from www.zoopla.co.uk

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