Over half of young landlords would provide support to tenants during the cost of living crisis if they were asked, it’s being claimed.

A survey by Uswitch says 57 per cent landlords agent 18 to 24 – an extremely small group, anyway – were most willing to help if requested.

Groups of older landlords were less inclined to help, although 40 per cent of those agent 55 or above were happy to assist.

The comparative service polled landlords to discover their attitudes towards landlord-tenant relationships, and whether they are open to supporting their tenants through the cost of living crisis. Tenants were also surveyed in order to identify any differences in perspective.

A fifth of all tenants believe they would be denied support from their landlords, though the percentage decreases with age. 

A quarter of 18-24 year-olds have no expectation of help, but only 16 per cent of tenants aged 55-plus surveyed felt their request for support would be turned down. More than a third of surveyed tenants felt that it was ‘possible’ that their landlord may help them out.

Uswitch spokesperson Kellie Steed says: “If your tenants are unable to pay their rent, it could leave you in a vulnerable position for your own mortgage payments. 

“If your tenant approaches you asking for support due to their struggles with rent and bills, here are some things you can do:

“Keep in regular contact with your tenants: Encourage your tenants to maintain regular communication with you, particularly over any issues in the property. This will allow you to resolve any small problems before they become costlier. A clear line of communication will also allow your tenants to approach you with any struggles with rent, so that you can manage this sooner;

“ Help tenants to keep the property in its best condition: Make sure they know the most efficient way to heat the property, as well as how to properly ventilate in order to prevent mould and damp. Make sure all appliance manuals are available to them, so that they don’t misuse or damage any. The cost of living crisis can affect people’s mental health, so being able to come back to a home in good condition is one less thing for your tenants to worry about;

“Invest in the energy efficiency of your home: There are small changes that are easy to enact which can increase your energy efficiency, such as installing LED bulbs and properly draught-proofing the property. It may be tempting to avoid costlier enhancements, such as investing in triple glazed windows.”