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0:01 AM, 22nd November 2023, About 6 months ago 14
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More than half of tenants in England would like to have their utilities included in their rent, but just 12% of rental properties on the market offer this convenience, a survey reveals.
Zero Deposit, a tenancy deposit alternative company, asked more than 2,400 tenants about their preferences and stress levels regarding bills when renting.
The survey found that 41% of tenants find it stressful to organise and pay their utility bills, such as gas, electricity, water, broadband and TV licence.
The main source of stress is the affordability of utilities, especially as the cost of running a home is expected to rise next year.
Zero Deposit’s chief executive, Sam Reynolds, said: “Tenants across the nation are struggling with rental affordability at present and this struggle isn’t refined to asking rents and rental deposits alone.
“Once they have managed to secure a rental home of their own, they are facing a sharp increase in the monthly cost of their utilities as well.
“But it’s not just the cost that can be a daunting prospect, understanding their utility bills and juggling their finances to ensure they are paying the right people at the right time is also a factor.
“Not to mention the rigmarole involved when it comes to the start and end of a tenancy.”
He added: “So, it’s hardly surprising that so many would prefer to have their utility bills included within the cost of renting.
“Many tenants feel like they’ve lost control of their monthly outgoings; it’s understandable that a large proportion would even opt for such a property over one that doesn’t offer this added convenience.”
Other factors that cause anxiety for tenants are having enough money in the right accounts at the right time, understanding new bills and why they had changed and organising each bill at the start and end of a tenancy.
As a result, 55% of tenants said they would prefer to have their utility bills included in the price of their rent.
And 44% said they would be more likely to rent a property if bills were included versus a property that didn’t.
However, finding a bills included rental property is not easy for tenants.
An analyses of the current rental stock listed on Zoopla found that only 12% of the properties in England had the option of having the bills included within the asking rent.
The availability of bills included rented homes varies across the regions with tenants in the South East having the lowest chance of finding one, as only 9% of the properties here have this option.
London is also among the areas with the lowest availability, with just 10% of the properties offering bills included.
However, tenants in the East Midlands have the highest chance of finding a bills included rental property, as 22% of the properties in the region have this option.
The West Midlands (17%) and North West (16%) are also among the regions with the highest availability of bills included rentals.
Dennis Forrest
13:55 PM, 22nd November 2023, About 5 months ago
And the incentive to be economical with the use of gas and electricity is?????/
Janet Carnochan
14:09 PM, 22nd November 2023, About 5 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Dennis Forrest at 22/11/2023 - 13:55
Totally agree. As a landlord you would have to price on worse case scenario. I don't see that benefiting tenant or landlord. Or is this another example of tenants wanting a low rent and the bills included in that low rent.
Lomondhomes
14:33 PM, 22nd November 2023, About 5 months ago
A month too early for Father Christmas
Paul
14:41 PM, 22nd November 2023, About 5 months ago
Without a doubt it works out cheaper if the tenant organises their own bills. Otherwise the landlord will work on the theory the gas will be left on, the lights on and the water running. This is exactly what happens with student accommodation and if their is no correlation between usage and cost...
As such the landlord would have to load up the cost of such a service or meter it or control it some how. So, more work for the landlord and as such, this will need to be costed.
With tenants who do pay there own bills, I do go round and talk to them about how to reduce any costs, running boiler lower, doors, lighting thermastats ect. However, without fail I will be greated by the tenant at the door in a T-Shirt !!!
At home, most rooms in my house are 17-18 degs. If I'm cold, I put a jumper on. Simples really.
PAUL BARTLETT
14:55 PM, 22nd November 2023, About 5 months ago
Just an extension of the preference for not being responsible for own actions. Letting is not Serviced Accommodation nor is it a Hotel. If that's what you prefer, they are available for a price.
Surely a rational reaction to climate crisis and to PRS housing crisis is to take responsibility and be as efficient as possible. As already mentioned, businesses have to plan conservatively which means at a greater cost than the minimum that might be achieved. So run a tight ship and leave nothing to chance..
Route Meister
16:29 PM, 22nd November 2023, About 5 months ago
These sound bites get more and more ridiculous. Free energy for all!!
Dave the Rave
16:42 PM, 22nd November 2023, About 5 months ago
I couldn’t imagine the total landlord losses suffered when tenants don’t pay their fully serviced rent. There is no incentive to offer this service as far as I am concerned. I suspect rental insurance would cover the total service rent, but it would mean rental insurance would be mandatory for the savvy.
Michael Booth
7:42 AM, 23rd November 2023, About 5 months ago
Gas boiler on 24/7 electrics permanently on , that's the preserve of the asylum seekers all bills paid , not a bad idea if the government paid landlords to do it , otherwise no chance Tennant pays all utilities. .
Zen
9:31 AM, 23rd November 2023, About 5 months ago
Welcome to the world of a grown up. If they want their bottom wiped they should stay with mummy and daddy.
Next landlords will be expected to cook dinner and wash up for tenants every night because the cost of takeaways is stretching their budget.
Frank Jennings
10:00 AM, 23rd November 2023, About 5 months ago
Why stop there? Why not vote for payments to tennants for looking after your house/flat for you? Call it a live in security option. The landlord pays the service charges for heating, and electricity, and after the rental period has ended the property is transferred to the tennants for them to sell at a profit and do it all again for the next landlord/empty property owner. The courts can then fine the landlord £50,000 for not renting the property correctly according to the new rules, and this is a fine that's retrospectively given for the last 50 years. Finally the council can come and inspect the property and fine the landlord £50,000 for not paying a fee for renting out, after all everybody will want to have their cut of the robbery, sorry I mean profits. Didn't the Germans do something similar in 1930's and that was very popular on the whole, so I'm told? Redistribution of the wealth, wasn't it? Sort of leveling down, or leveling up, depending on where you were standing at the time.
No wonder the landlords are leaving in droves, and things will only get worse. The govenment are very keen to get that capital gains tax revenue ASAP, that is stored up in the property. It's one of the last barrels to be scraped, before the big one. It wont be long before they steal the equity stored in mortgaged property owners houses and flats, and force people who own their own property outright, to be nationized, so everyone can have their own home to live in, provided by a very progressive govenment of the future. What a wonderful vote winner. I bags Buckingham palace!