Almost half of private tenants are unsure with whom responsibility lies for a number of aspects of their tenancy, according to MakeItCheaper.com. 

One of the most contentious and ambiguous issues is the distinction between ‘damage’ and ‘fair wear and tear’, the firm reports, with a quarter of tenants surveyed saying they would welcome clarification on the topic. 

Other areas in which responsibility is regularly disputed include furniture and appliances, fixtures and fittings, mould, energy efficiency and utility bills, says the comparison website. 

The study determines that renters’ general attitude towards their landlords is a largely positive one as only 15% of those surveyed said they have had an unresolved dispute in the past 12 months.

When questioned about the most important qualities for a landlord to have, over 65% of those surveyed said they most value honest landlords who fix the issues they’re responsible for. 

Over 85% of tenants rated their landlord’s management of their tenancy as ‘average’ or better – with 60% giving a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ rating. 

Last month Paragon Mortgages reported that over 80% of tenants are satisfied with their current landlord.