How well informed are your student tenants about their rights, responsibilities and the renting process? According to a recent report from the National Landlord’s Association, some 79% of tenants feel the information they have is inadequate. This is of deep concern to both landlord and tenant representation groups who are blaming the government for the lack of awareness.

NLA Blames the Government

Following the report, the NLA pointed the finger of blame squarely at the government. This is despite making documentation available on How To Rent available through the government website and requiring landlords and agents to give copies to new tenants. They stated unequivocally that the government is not doing enough to raise awareness.

The measure simply to expect agents and landlords to hand out forms is no guarantee that this is being followed through. Even if it is, NLA says, there is nothing to guarantee that a tenant will read it. This too is backed up in the data from the report which states that just 67% of the tenants surveyed were unaware of the guide.

Some Good News From Tenants

Despite horror stories in the media about rogue and exploitative landlords, there is far more cause for celebration in 2019. The same report found that 68% of tenants – that’s over 2/3 – said they were happy with their living arrangements. They had no cause for complaint regarding their landlord and their activities. This is good news for an industry where reports of landlords bypassing safety and breaking the law to cut corners are a regular occurrence. Thankfully, these are few and far between.

It is on the back of this statistic that the NLA feels the government needs to act now on the awareness issue. If it isn’t dealt with soon, the lack of understanding will lead to a breakdown of the current goodwill.

How You Can Help Your Tenants

No matter how helpful you are to your student tenants, and no matter how happy they are with your service, there are always more things you can do to help. The start of a new academic year is a great time to review your procedures to see if they facilitate and enable the student tenant and property owner relationship.

• Ensure the new tenants receive a copy of the government leaflet How to Rent. Point out in your welcome letter that it is important that they read it
• Provide multiple channels for communication. 18-21-year olds are far less likely to phone than previous student generations, so provide an email or a social media account where they can get hold of you. WhatsApp, for example
• Create an environment where your student tenants feel they can contact you. The high rate of contentment with living arrangements is definitely encouraging, and this can only happen were tenants feel there is a good working relationship