We are accustomed to hearing terrible tales of rogue landlords and the kind of treatment meted out to hapless tenants, but hardly ever do we hear the views of regular tenants living in the private rented sector. Until now!
Media Research
A recent survey carried out by a leading media research group, BDRC Continental, generated some interesting responses and despite what the tabloids would have us believe, most tenants are actually very happy with their landlord.
Tenants Quizzed
More than 700 tenants were quizzed about their experiences of living in rental homes of all shapes and sizes. Only 5% of them had been refused a longer tenancy and more than a third had been in their current home for more than four years. A further 70% were happy with the length of their tenancy and only 7% were concerned that they might not be able to stay as long as they might like. This rather flies in the face of all the arguments in favour of forcing landlords to offer extended tenancies.
75% of tenants were very happy with their rental home and felt safe and secure there. Only 5% of those quizzed said they felt renting as opposed to buying was preventing them from having a happy family life.
“Although no one would want to trivialise the impact of terrible treatment by landlords on their tenants, it is important that a proper perspective is maintained when thinking about the scope and scale of these issues,” says Mark Long from BDRC Continental.
