Tenant Issues Revealed In A New Poll

Around half of tenants say they have fallen ill or been injured by their rental property's condition, one survey reveals.

The findings have been published by Aspect to coincide with the new Fit for Habitation rules that have taken effect.

Now all new and renewed tenancies are subject to the regulations and give landlords obligations to deliver a quality rental property.

Should the property not be in good condition, then they could be considered to be in breach of contract.

The survey found that 44% of people who are renting or have rented, a property that has caused them an illness or injury.

Tenants reporting electric shocks and burns

Among these are damp and mould issues which led to allergies and respiratory problems and also greater stress with other tenants reporting electric shocks and burns as well as puncture wounds.

Most property health and injury related issues were found among tenants in London, followed by Birmingham, Swansea, and Plymouth.

A spokesman for Aspect said that their tradespeople often found examples of landlords cutting corners on maintenance, particularly when a property had been converted into an HMO.

The Residential Landlords' Association (RLA) is advising all landlords to be compliant with the new rules and ensure they communicate effectively with tenants and that regular inspections are carried out.

The RLA says that the law is not aimed at property defects but highlighting whether the defect is so serious that a court would consider the home as unfit for anyone to live in.

In a statement, the RLA said: "It's an important distinction that the property will be judged on its condition and whether it's unsuitable for someone to live in it."

Rent rises for tenants with pets

Meanwhile, one letting agent is warning that tenants with pets could see their rents rise by 4% under the Tenant Fees Ban.

The warning comes from the JLL letting agency who say that the five-week deposit cap will lead to rent rises for those with pets.

The deposit cap is part of the tenant fees law and the firm says there has been a 25% rise over the last five years in tenants renting a property with pets.

The firm's head of residential, Lucy Morton, said: "Landlords usually charge a slightly higher deposit to cover additional cleaning or to pay for damage when required.

"The five-week deposit cap may deter landlords from letting to tenants who have a pet or force them to pay a higher rent to cover losses."