The biggest turn-offs when looking for the perfect rental property have been revealed by research from rental platform Ocasa.
Over 1,000 UK tenants were asked what they found the most off-putting about a rental property and a landlord.
Most off-putting rental property features
Nuisance neighbours were top of this list of red flags to look out for when searching for a new home. Landlords refusing to allow tenants to keep pets in the property ranked as the second biggest turn-off.
A lack of parking was the next biggest issue when it came to rental property appeal. A lack of outdoor space also ranked within the top five, along with being forbidden to redecorate or add personal touches to a property’s decor.
Most off-putting landlord habits
Tenants ranked a landlord’s inability to maintain a rental property to a modern standard as the most off-putting issue.
Landlords who fail to maintain safe living conditions were also on the list, along with those who consistently increase rents without reason.
The survey highlighted landlords visiting the property without a reason as an off-putting habit tenants look to avoid. They also listed landlords ending the tenancy without good warning or reason as an issue they’ve faced.
Jack Godby, Sales and Marketing Director at Ocasa, comments: “The rental market can be a tough place to live at times and not only is it very expensive, but many tenants will be put off by out of date or unsafe living conditions, restrictive tenancy rules and the insecurity and uncertainty that often comes with living in someone else’s property.
“However, standards are improving and the industry is undergoing notable changes that focus on renting as a long-term lifestyle choice, rather than a necessity due to the high cost of homeownership.
“This is particularly evident within the build-to-rent sector, which is providing a better quality of living coupled with greater security and flexibility to suit the needs of individual tenants. Of course, you may still fall foul of a nuisance neighbour but some things in life are unfortunately unavoidable.”