Majority of landlords and tenants in UK have a good relationship, new research shows

Tenants in the UK want landlords to respond to issues quickly, set a reasonable rent and draw up a fair tenancy agreement, according to new research.

The survey from landlord insurer Direct Line for Business also suggests the idea that landlords and tenants don’t see eye to eye is a myth. It found that 69% of landlords surveyed said they have a good relationship with their tenants.

Some 33% of landlords said they believe that they are good friends with their tenants and only 2% said they have a poor relationship. However, 15% revealed that they have no interaction at all as all communication is handled by a management or lettings agent.

This positivity is also reflected in landlords’ view of the buoyancy of the UK rental market with 76% confident they could rent out their property if their current tenants moved out in the next six months with 27% very confident there would be no void period if their current tenants moved out, meaning they wouldn’t lose any rental income.

‘The idea that landlords and tenants can’t get on is a fallacy, as many of these relationships are very positive and are often long lasting. Having a good relationship with your tenants is beneficial as they will be more likely to flag problems with the property quickly, enabling the landlord to arrange for a swift repair and therefore minimising inconvenience and expense for both parties,’ said Christina Dimitrov, business manager at Direct Line for Business.

When it comes to the top three traits landlords are looking for in a good tenant, paying the rent promptly was mentioned by 58%, followed by being respectful of the property and its contents at 41% and being clean and tidy by 37%.

When it comes to tenants, the research found that the top desire was landlords responding quickly to issues with 69% of tenants saying so, followed by asking a reasonable rent and not increasing it unexpectedly or unfairly, cited by 52% of tenants with 37% citing a fair tenancy agreement.

‘Overall, the most important quality for landlords and tenants is the ability to be open, honest and fair. Maintaining a good relationship between renter and landlord is vital to a harmonious tenancy,’ added Dimitrov.