HomeLatest NewsTenants’ “unrealistic expectations” of Landlords
Tenants’ “unrealistic expectations” of Landlords
Posted on 01/11/2014 by Sulgrave Estates
A report carried out by an online agency reveals some interesting information about tenants’ expectations of their landlord. 80% believe the landlord should deal with mould and condensation and also vermin and pest problems. A sixth of tenants think the landlord should mow the lawn and 6% expect them to pay the utility bills and clean the fridge! Further confusion arises at check out with 10% of tenants believing the landlord should organize cleaning of the fridge and oven and 4% expecting landlords to pay for any damage to furnishings and carpets.
The biggest complaint however, is the length of time landlords take to deal with problems with nearly two thirds of tenants saying they would like this speeded up. 12% would like their landlord to be more friendly and approachable but a quarter think that on the whole, their landlord is pretty good. A third of tenants have experienced bad landlords in the past. The survey does not clarify what constitutes a “bad landlord”.
The MD of the agency who carried out the survey says “….Part of the challenge for the industry is to educate tenants on what they are responsible for when they take on a new tenancy. It is also vital that landlords and agents carry out a thorough and professional inventory and that the tenant is given a signed check in document at the start of the tenancy. Cleaning remains the biggest issue in deposit disputes and our findings show that the majority of tenants do not believe they are responsible for mould and condensation, along with cleaning and looking after the garden”.
Sulgrave Estates has a Tenant FAQ section on our new website which covers all these issues.