Despite the headlines, the reality of the private rented sector is often more nuanced than it first appears. New research shows that almost three quarters of private tenants (74%) say they’re happy with their renting experience, with only around 11% reporting dissatisfaction.
Those figures contravene the public perception that renters are unhappy, and aren't too far off what we see day‑to‑day as a lettings specialist agency (with these numbers actually falling short of our own statistics). Across our portfolio, tenant satisfaction is consistently high, reflected in our 5‑star Google rating from both landlords and tenants. For us, this data doesn’t feel surprising - it mirrors lived experience.
One particularly interesting takeaway from the research is the link between tenant happiness and engagement. Tenants are more likely to be satisfied when landlords are present, responsive, and invested. Where landlords live closer to their properties, satisfaction rises to 77%, compared with 71% when landlords are further away.
This is where good lettings and management really matter. Acting as a proactive, local point of contact helps bridge that distance, ensuring issues are dealt with quickly and communication stays clear - without landlords needing to be hands‑on day‑to‑day.
From our perspective, the formula is simple: look after the property, communicate clearly, and treat tenants like people, not problems. When those fundamentals are in place, satisfaction follows, as the data clearly shows.
