More tenants prefer the experience of dealing with landlords directly than going through letting agents or companies, a tenant poll conducted by Pegasus Insights has found.
Some 70% of tenants who rent from an individual landlord describe their recent rental experience as ‘positive’, compared with just 60% of those renting through a letting agent. Overall, 7% of tenants surveyed reported a negative experience.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “These findings underline what we have long known. Smaller, individual landlords are an essential part of the rental market and consistently deliver some of the best outcomes for tenants.
“As ministers continue to reform the private rented sector, it’s vital they recognise the positive role of responsible landlords, as well as the importance of trust-based relationships between tenants and landlords. Policy decisions, and the rhetoric around the sector, must be informed by these facts.”
Some 81% of tenants that rent from an individual landlord are satisfied with the service they receive. This compares to 73% of tenants who rent from a build-to-rent company and 68% of those renting through a letting agent.
The findings come from a poll of over 3,000 private renters across the UK.