Landlords are finding it difficult to keep up with laws and regulations hitting the private rented sector, according to ‘Understanding Landlord Behaviour’ research from the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing.
Those who don’t belong to a landlord association are more likely to report that changes are not being communicated clearly, at 67% compared to 59% for association members.
Landlords who only own one property are least likely to agree that communication lacked clarity, amounting to 58%, compared to 71% of those with larger portfolios of 10-24 properties.
Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, said: “These latest findings echo the importance of letting agents especially in educating landlords and encouraging compliance.
“With the private rented sector hit relentlessly over the past decade with legislation, it is no surprise that landlords are finding it difficult to keep on top of their requirements.
“Propertymark and its member agents advocate for only the highest standards within the sector, and we would encourage landlords to do their research and look for a Propertymark regulated agent to ensure they are receiving the upmost professional service.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence to help us better understand the behaviour of landlords in the PRS, and in turn, what they expect and need to see from the services agents provide.”
The research also found that landlords generally prefer to rely on tenants raising issues with their properties before undertaking maintenance.
This is especially the case with landlords owning large portfolios, as 85% of those owning over 25 properties adopted this approach.
Regularly scheduling works was most frequent among those who had been landlords for less than three years (55%) and least common among the most well-established landlords, at 45% of those who have been landlords for at least 11 years.
