Simon Read: Landlords are letting down their tenants

Simon Read
Friday 16 August 2013 12:33 EDT
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More than half of renters in the UK have had bad experiences with landlords or letting agents, according to a survey published this week. The poll – conducted by The Tenants Voice, an online community – revealed that tenants were especially dissatisfied with the service they received from letting agents, who manage properties for landlords.

They accused agents of being poor at responding to issues or emergencies and of being inaccessible and hard to contact.

A separate report from LSL Property Services, just published, predicts that typical landlord investors could make £14,735 next year on each property they own.

There is nothing wrong with landlords making a decent profit. But they should not just sit back and enjoy their assets growing in value while ignoring their responsibilities to tenants.

And that means ensuring that managing agents, if used, respond quickly to tenants' needs and are available to help.

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