4 easy methods landlords and letting brokers could make life higher for tenants

Everybody is aware of how essential it’s to have a house. It’s no shock that being homeless is dangerous for an individual’s well being: it may even kill. And it’s simply as apparent that housing which is damp, chilly, overcrowded or riddled with toxins is a recipe for poor well being. But the place you name dwelling may have an effect on your well being and well-being in subtler, however equally essential, methods.

Particularly, our analysis reveals that tenants’ well being is affected by whether or not they really feel at dwelling – and this, in flip, is closely influenced by the remedy they get from their landlord. We adopted greater than 70 tenants renting from three completely different social and personal housing organisations in and round Glasgow over the primary yr of their tenancy.

By means of interviews with the tenants, we found that there have been 4 easy issues that landlords, letting brokers and housing associations might do to scale back stress and make tenants really feel extra at dwelling of their properties.

1. Have a great relationship

The tenants concerned in our analysis advised us how essential it was to have the ability to cope with a named member of employees, who is aware of them personally and understands their state of affairs. This was notably true when tenants had had tough experiences prior to now:

How can I describe it? I really feel I’ve some good folks in my life now that I can depend upon and I really feel very comfy within the state of affairs that I’m in proper now. There’s no deception there, there’s no sleazy landlords, nothing like that. – Jane, 57, Glasgow, UK.

The place landlords constructed a optimistic relationship, this not solely helped tenants to settle and really feel at dwelling, but additionally gave them confidence to get on with the remainder of life – discovering work, reconnecting with family and friends and attempting new issues.

2. Concentrate on property high quality

You don’t have to have watched each episode of Grand Designs to know that the ending touches are essential in making someplace really feel like dwelling. However folks have completely different expectations, aspirations and capacities.

Some tenants advised us that they wanted a property which was already properly furnished and adorned, whereas others needed an empty shell to refurbish in their very own fashion. So landlords want to grasp these variations and provides tenants the help they want.

The place this goes fallacious, it might probably undermine the entire tenancy, as with this tenant who moved right into a property with critically broken plasterwork:

The partitions in listed below are fairly dangerous and at one level I phoned the housing officer and I says to her, I’m going to have to offer you that home again. That’s far an excessive amount of work for me… I really feel lifeless unsettled and anxious. I nonetheless can’t sleep at night time in it. – Laura, 26, Glasgow, UK.

3. Being delicate to housing prices

Considerations about housing affordability within the UK usually relaxation on lease ranges or gas poverty, whereas different housing-related prices are generally ignored. Tenants advised us how harassed they had been by the prices of transferring, furnishing and adorning their new property, and usually dealing with the monetary chaos of a brand new tenancy.

Once more, landlords have to have a relationship with tenants, in order that they will perceive their monetary state of affairs. The place landlords had been capable of provide flexibility and help to tenants with paying the lease and managing different housing prices, this helped to maintain the tenancy – which not solely contributes to tenants’ well being and well-being, but additionally retains the lease coming in for landlords.

The truth that they’re searching for my very own well-being… helps me get by way of. I imply, cash’s annoying, particularly when it’s tight. So when you recognize your landlord isn’t just… wanting the cash by way of the door each month, he’s really hoping that you just’re okay and also you’re capable of afford it, it’s reassuring. It helps… preserve the stress ranges down. – Alex, 36, Ayrshire, UK.

4. Provide alternative in location

It’s a cliché, however our analysis reveals that location actually is essential. When tenants have a alternative of the place to stay, it might probably make an actual distinction to their well being and well-being. For some folks the important thing issue is being near family and friends, whereas for others it’s extra about peace and quiet:

I’m 100% happier. I’m mainly not depressed anymore, as quickly as I moved out of that flat in [previous area] and moved right here it was such an enormous change… I need to go exterior and meet folks and stuff like that, whereas again there it was ‘I don’t need to exit, I simply need to curl up in a ball, I’m dying for this to all go away’. So now it’s identical to aye, convey on life! – Patrick, 37, Renfrewshire, UK.

The UK’s housing disaster is about extra than simply provide and demand, or bricks and mortar – whether or not folks really feel at dwelling of their property can have a major affect on their well being. Housing organisations, landlords and coverage makers all have to take these points critically, to construct the strong foundations essential to take care of tenants’ well being and well-being.

Tenants’ names have been modified to guard their anonymity.