It's a scenario that most student landlords in the UK will be familiar with - taking tenant calls saying they have a housing 'emergency' and find that it’s nothing of the sort.
Now, research from Direct Line business insurance has revealed landlords are grappling with a barrage of tenant requests, many of which blur the line between urgent and trivial.
It reveals that 65% of landlords are summoned to address minor problems, such as replacing lightbulbs (22%) and scrubbing carpet stains (18%).
A staggering 17% of landlords have also helped inebriated tenants locked out of their homes, while 15% have had to swap dishwasher filters.
Some repairs cost thousands
The insurer's head of landlord, Jonny McHugh, said: "Tenants call on their landlord for all sorts of issues, and while some requests may raise an eyebrow, landlords also need to deal with genuine emergencies, such as no heating or water leaks, that can cost hundreds — or even thousands — of pounds to fix.
"When that happens, landlords are under pressure to respond quickly and effectively to property emergencies."
He added: "The good news is that handling these situations well can help strengthen the landlord-tenant relationship."
Top three tenant emergency requests and landlord costs
Emergency Request vs Average Cost of Repair:
- Heating faults - £816
- Electrical faults - £744
- Plumbing faults - £660
Tenants do have genuine crises
However, the research also reveals that genuine tenant crises also demand urgent attention.
Direct Line says that over the past year, 62% of landlords have had to enlist help from emergency contractors.
And 72% of these incidents occurred after regular hours.
The typical repair bill for an emergency averages £621, though some issues, like roofing troubles (9%), heating failures (8%), or plumbing complications (6%), can soar beyond £2,500.
Top 10 reasons for emergency tenant requests
- Boiler/heating not working 39%
- Water leak 35%
- No hot water 28%
- Blocked toilet/drain 28%
- No electricity 23%
- Broken door lock 23%
- Burst/damaged pipe 23%
- Structural damage e.g. ceiling collapse, leaking roof 15%
- Vermin/pest infestation 15%
- Broken window 15%
Landlords help tenants remotely
Boiler breakdowns lead the list of urgent tenant concerns, making up 39% of callouts, which can be a critical issue in winter.
Water leaks (35%), lack of hot water (28%) and clogged drains or toilets (28%) also rank high in the list of tenant emergencies.
Other pressing issues include electrical outages (23%), broken locks (23%), burst pipes (23%), structural damage (15%), pest invasions (15%) and broken windows (15%).
Not all calls are emergencies
However, not every call from a tenant about an emergency requires a professional fix, the insurer says.
Nearly half (49%) of landlords reported emergencies which needed a tradesperson, but 21% of landlords have resolved issues themselves.
Plus, 11% said they had to guide tenants to handle problems remotely.
Apparently, successfully managing these situations can foster goodwill, with 22% of landlords noting stronger bonds with their tenants post-resolution.
Student tenant emergencies
Simon Thompson, the managing director of Accommodation for Students, said: "Many student landlords will undoubtedly have their own stories but managing properties comes with unique challenges.
"Whether that's from frivolous late-night calls to urgent repairs that can strain budgets."
He added: "The research underscores the importance of preparedness, as minor fixes like changing lightbulbs are straightforward so having spare bulbs in a property will help, for example.
"Boiler failures, which can cost an average of £816 to fix is another issue, but landlords, especially those with student tenants, will invest in a good level of insurance to cover all eventualities."
