Over half of tenants experience issues with rental property

A recent survey has shown that over half of tenants said that they have experienced problems with their rental property during the past year.

Complications were found to have ranged from poor maintenance to breaking terms of the rental agreement, according to the survey, conducted by mortgage and loans provider Ocean Finance.

Problems

Results from the review show that the largest problem for tenants was their landlord’s inability to fix structural issues. 15% of tenants said that this was the case, with damage including damp, leaking roofs and rotten window frames.[1]

13% of tenants said that they had experienced delays in repairs to be made to furniture and other appliances such as washing machines. 14% stated that unexpected rises in rent, disputes over deposits and early eviction were the most severe problems that they had faced.[1]

Alarmingly, 35% of tenants said that once they had reported a problem to the landlord or letting agent, the issues were still not fixed. 13% said that they did not know who to turn to for advice, with 5% refusing to pay their rent until the problems were solved.[1]

Regionally, tenants in London, home to over 10 million private renters, experienced the most problems, with 60% saying that they had encountered difficulties during the past year. The East Midlands and the South East were next on the list. [1]

Over half of tenants experience issues with rental property

Obligation 

‘Landlords have an obligation to ensure that the properties they let are well maintained and safe for their tenants to live in,’ said Gareth Shilton, spokesman for Ocean Finance. The research indicates that many tenants are renting sub-standard properties. It’s also concerning that people are facing mid-tenancy rent increases or have money unexpectedly taken from their deposits.’[1]

‘One of the problems may be a lack of clarity over whose responsibility it is to maintain different aspects of a property. Often the landlord believes that the tenant is responsible for doing repairs that in fact they are obligated to make,’ Shilton added.[1]

[1] http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/uk-landlords-tenant-demand-2015070610714.html