Issues for tenants and their landlords

Admiral Home Insurance has uncovered the main causes of tension and disagreements between tenants and landlords.

New research from the insurer found that six in ten tenants feel that renting a property negatively impacts their mental health, with 62 per cent saying they feel either stressed or anxious because of their living situation.

The top issue facing renters that contributes to stress and anxiety is repairs to a property not being carried out, with a third citing this as a reason for their worries.

Tenants stress could be justified, as only a quarter of renters say requested repairs have been carried out to their satisfaction, while almost one in ten say repairs have not been done at all.

Other concerns raised by renters include fears over their landlord increasing rent during the tenancy and feeling worried about receiving notice to end a tenancy or facing eviction.

However, Admiral’s research suggest renters aren’t the only ones feeling the strain. Almost half of landlords surveyed have had rent payment issues, while nearly a fifth have experienced aggression from tenants.

Along with issues experienced during tenancies, Admiral’s research suggests the tension doesn’t stop when the tenancy ends, with 42 per cent of renters revealing they have had a dispute with their landlord over a deposit.

On the other side, one in three landlords reported having to redecorate a property when tenants have moved out, with 28 per cent reporting that they have been left with damage to the property.

On average, landlords reported spending £1,770 in addition to the rental deposit on reasonable repairs to damage caused by previous tenants, with almost a quarter of landlords needing to withhold all the deposit for the same reason.*