Private renters naturally have rights and responsibilities, but it would appear that uncertainty presented by the outbreak of Covid-19 has left many tenants looking online for guidance.
New research shows that a growing number of people, including renters, are using the internet to gain relevant knowledge and information during the existing crisis.
The research, undertaken by Boiler Plan, reveals that the number of people searching for ‘tenants rights’ online has increased by 15% since lockdown started.
As part of their research, the company has also uncovered which UK cities are the most unsure of their tenants’ rights.
To uncover these findings, Boiler Plan analysed the Google search volume for the term, ‘tenants right’ for 25 UK cities. They then divided this number by the population – revealing a ratio of how many individuals are searching for help.
The smaller the ratio, the higher the number of people searching for tenants’ rights in that city:
|
Revealed: Top 10 Cities Searching for ‘Tenants Rights’ on Google
|
|
#
|
UK City
|
Monthly Search Volume – ‘Tenants Rights’
|
Population of City
|
Ratio
|
|
1
|
Bristol
|
540
|
686,210
|
1,271
|
|
2
|
Belfast
|
420
|
630,632
|
1,502
|
|
3
|
Sunderland
|
180
|
290,000
|
1,611
|
|
4
|
Coventry
|
260
|
425,566
|
1,637
|
|
5
|
Reading
|
190
|
342,117
|
1,801
|
|
6
|
Leicester
|
280
|
552,178
|
1,972
|
|
7
|
Leeds
|
390
|
780,000
|
2,000
|
|
8
|
Edinburgh
|
250
|
536,775
|
2,147
|
|
9
|
Southend-On-Sea
|
140
|
312,328
|
2,230
|
|
10
|
Preston
|
60
|
141,800
|
2,363
|
Boiler Plan assessed search engine data to discover the most common questions private-renters are asking Google in this uncertain climate. :
-
‘Can landlords increase rent’ - 3,200 Google searches
-
‘Can landlord evict me’ – 1,880 Google searches
-
‘Responsibilities as a tenant’ – 1,600 Google searches
-
‘Can letting agents charge fees’ – 760 Google searches
-
‘Can landlord keep deposit’ – 550 Google searches
-
‘What are tenancy fees’ – 250 Google searches
-
‘Can you paint a rented house’ – 220 Google searches
-
‘Does landlord have to fix boiler’ – 130 Google searches
-
‘What is landlord responsible to repair’ – 110 Google searches
Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions.
If any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.
Please help us by reporting comments you consider to be unduly offensive so we can review and take action if necessary. Thank you.
.png)
Join the conversation
Jump to latest comment and add your reply
Who on earth are 'Boiler Plan'? Never heard of them. Are they a recognised research and public opinion company? When was this research carried out? Can the results of this research be trusted given their method used?
Actually the headline claim - more people are using google ….. - is pretty obvious anyway, given that so many are self-isolating or just less willing to go to letting agents - or indeed to any shops - right now in the middle of a pandemic. All forms of internet have probably increased greatly.
Boiler Plan ? tried something similar a couple of yrs ago when the plumber I had been using for the past 20 yrs retired, complete and utter waste of time, effort, and money, found another reliable local plumber.
did we really need a school lesson on ratios and the size of a fraction ?
Boiler Plan. Should survey the crap modern Boilers that are virtually guaranteed to break down, official say 1 in 3 in winter and keep their nose out of LL & Tenant business, how many more for the band wagon. Boilers used to be so reliable in the 60' 70' 80' 90' 2000' & 2010 now not reliable, so its taken all this Technology, Printed Circuit Boards, Condensing tanks, Flow switches, Water Sensors, Heat sensors, Diverter valves etc, etc, to really muck it up, now we need loads of specialist so called registered engineers. Companies with fleets of vans all over Town to try to keep them going at enormous cost to LL's & house holders alike. In years gone by just vacuum them out yourself & a bottle brush to clean between the heat exchanger once a year, maybe replace the odd thermocouple every 5 or 7 years, now we are not allowed to remove the cover but we could show the engineer how to do it before he damages it. I think they have tried to reinvent the wheel but this time its square. Boiler Plan keep to your own lucrative business although I know you have plenty of time to mess us about with your blank cheque book.
eu regs--boilers are mostly french
my kingfisher 2 is 30 years old--no problems
I have a Baxi and a Worster that are both 25 yrs old and still going strong, then there is the 7 yr old Vaillant that I had to replace last yr, new boilers just like new cars are rubbish
Good Post
Andrew townshend
Please login to comment