Third of landlords stressed by 'troublesome tenants'

Landlords are finding the full-time nature of letting property to be more stressful than they initially thought, according to new research.

The report, from property management firm London Shared, found that a third of those surveyed found being a landlord increasingly stressful.

Some 76% of the 500 landlords polled said that tenants do not understand their rental responsibilities, while 10% claimed to have developed anxiety issues as a direct result of their tenants' behaviour. 

Over a third of participants said they had received calls from tenants in the middle of the night. The most common minor issues landlords are called out for are unblocking drains and replacing lost keys.

As well as tenants being unsure on their responsibilities, the study found that 43% of landlords taking part were unclear on their property repairs duties.

Many landlords also feel unsure about HMO licensing, according to the study.

The average landlord spends 11 hours a month managing their property, spending up to £5,000 on property repairs.

Other sources of landlord stress cited in the survey include late rental payments, debts and court proceedings.

“The role of a landlord can be a full-time job. Many property owners do not realise the amount of money, time and care required to be a landlord and as a result they feel constantly under a huge amount of pressure,” comments Jake Willis, co-founder of London Shared.