A Build To Rent operator claims some tenants – around a fifth – are willing to pay more for properties with advanced technology.

Wise Living surveyed 1,000 tenants and found 85 per cent wanted instant connectivity, including access to superfast broadband and TV packages.

Some 75 per cent would look for smart lighting and heating, with 74 per cent wanting to see smart security systems included in rental homes.

Wise Living’s Anne Malone believes the pandemic has accelerated UK renters’ appetite for smart technology integrated within the home. 

She says: “Our findings demonstrate that people want more than the basics from their rental homes – they’re looking for a place that gives them a good quality of life too as for many their home is now also their office. Super-fast broadband, in particular, is no longer just a ‘nice-to-have’ but an essential utility for many households.

“Covid-19 lockdowns influenced our attitudes towards technology as we depended on it for remote working and streaming entertainment services but it’s not the only reason.

“In fact, the survey results reflect the wider changes that have been taking place in the rental market for several years.

“We’re seeing growing numbers of families and older couples opting for purpose-built rental properties in the suburbs, so it’s not just younger professionals living in city centre apartments. This is usually because they’re looking for flexibility and convenience – which explains why they want their homes kitted out with the latest technology too.”