12th
Oct 2023
Tenants with pets and families are ‘having’ to pay £460 per month more for their rent and bills according to results from a survey.
The website Confused held a survey and contacted around 2,000 UK tenants finding out how they are coping with their current financial situation.
Around a third have pets living with them in their rented ‘homes’ whilst 30 per cent have children and 13 per cent of these have paid their landlord an additional amount for a deposit or bond on their tenancy; ten per cent said they were charged higher cleaning fees.
The website also claims that parents have had to pay on average up to £286 for deposits or bonds and pet owning tenants up to an average of £236.
On cleaning fees parents have paid an average of £174 whilst pet owners’ average was £151.
The website’s survey ‘found’ that tenants’ average monthly rent is around £586, however 75 per cent of respondents stated that over the last twelve months they have had to face a monthly rental increase of around £77.
Council tax and utility bills cost tenants a monthly average of £352.
Around 82 per cent of tenants said issues they have had with their homes included damp and mould – 44 per cent, heating system or boiler problems – 41 per cent; plumbing – 40 per cent; wear and tear – 26 per cent; faulty or broken appliances – 23 per cent.
However there is some favourable support of landlords.
Tenants who stated their landlords had resolved problems for them with 32 per cent said an issue had been sorted out between two to five days, however nearly 10 per cent had to wait for an issue to be resolved by more than a month.
Many of the tenants who took part in the survey were happy with their landlord relationship as 37 per cent said it is very good and 32 per cent saying it is good.
However 42 per cent also had the view that estate agents of landlords are to a degree taking advantage of the current rental housing demand vs supply.
More than half of tenants – 54 per cent - said they were looking forward to the Renters Reform Bill being passed as they will be given far more protection.
A spokesperson for Confused says: “Our latest data shows how renters with pets or children may be paying more than others - which could seem unfair. But potential new rules for landlords could mean that this changes in the near future.
“With the introduction of the Renters Reform Bill soon in England, both landlords and tenants should have greater clarity on their living arrangements and financial commitments. And although this doesn’t exist elsewhere in the UK just yet, it doesn’t mean similar rules won’t apply in future.
“These changes should mean that some tenants won’t be financially penalised, leaving them with some additional income during a difficult and expensive time.”
Richard Merrick of PIMS, says: “The £586 average monthly rent is Northern based and there is no mention of differing types of properties that families and pet owners require.”
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