Most feel renting provides ‘flexibility’ 

Most tenants describe their landlord as reasonable and approachable and appreciate the flexibility renting offers, according to a new report from Accord Mortgages, the intermediary lending arm of Yorkshire Building Society.

It follows a survey of 4,000 UK adults, with the results published in its latest policy paper No Way Home? Restoring Britain’s Housing Ladder.

Of those surveyed, 40% described their landlord as reasonable, 40% as approachable, 36% as fair and 29% as responsive. By comparison, only 9% said their landlord was negligent, 8% unresponsive, 7% unreasonable and 5% exploitative.

Six in ten (60%) said the existence of private landlords enables choice in the market, while nearly three-quarters (72%) said renting provides flexibility for those who do not wish to buy a home.

When asked to describe landlords most use positive words, including ‘good’, ‘professional’, ‘friendly’ and ‘understanding’.

A different picture

Tom Simpson, managing director of homes at Yorkshire Building Society, said: “Landlords are often portrayed negatively in public debate, yet our findings show a very different picture among those with direct experience of renting, demonstrating a clear disconnect between perception and reality.

“The vast majority of landlords provide homes that tenants rely on every day, and most are viewed positively by the people living in their properties. While standards must always be maintained and poor practices challenged, it’s important that their contribution is recognised. That’s why our No Way Home? report calls for support for responsible landlords to encourage them to provide and expand the supply of good-quality rental homes.

“At a time when demand for rental accommodation continues to outstrip supply, we believe that landlords play a crucial role in providing housing choice and flexibility for millions of people.”

Separate research conducted by Accord among mortgage brokers earlier this year found that landlords were viewed as one of the groups most in need of government support, second only to first-time buyers, with more than one in five brokers (21%) saying that landlords should be prioritised for intervention.

Brokers also reported mounting concerns about rental supply, with 56% saying their landlord clients were actively reducing the size of their portfolios and 53% reporting that landlords were leaving the private rental sector altogether.