Direct Line is highlighting the importance of residential landlords having their properties inspected regularly, with research revealing83 per cent of landlords have had tenants breach their tenancy agreement.
Many tenancy agreement breaches could be picked up by regular inspections. The most common breaches include not keeping the property sufficiently clean and maintained (36 per cent) and failing to notify a landlord of required repairs (29 per cent). Other breaches include damaging or making alterations to the property, keeping a pet in the property, smoking/vaping in the property and redecorating without permission all of which were reported by over a quarter of those landlords surveyed.
Despite this, only just over half of landlords (55 per cent) conduct six-monthly property inspections. Whilst a further 21 per cent make only annual checks, with one in 10 landlords admitting that they only visit their properties at the start and end of the tenancy. Fourteen per cent of landlords visit their properties less often than that, or only if they suspect there is an issue.
Breaches in tenancy agreements experienced by landlords.
Reason for breach |
Proportion of breaches |
Failing to pay rent on time (or not at all) |
38 per cent |
Failing to keep the property sufficiently clean and maintained |
36 per cent |
Failure to notify the landlord of things that need repairing |
29 per cent |
Damaging or making alterations to the property |
28 per cent |
Keeping a pet in the property |
28 per cent |
Smoking/vaping in the property |
27 per cent |
Redecorating without permission |
25 per cent |
Causing a disturbance or nuisance to neighbouring properties |
23 per cent |
Subletting or moving in people without notifying the landlord |
15 per cent |
Changing locks |
15 per cent |
Tampering with or covering smoke or carbon monoxide alarms |
10 per cent |
Other |
1 per cent |
N/A – I have not experienced any breaches in tenancy agreements |
17 per cent |
(Source: Direct Line Landlord Insurance)
The most common sanction for broken tenancy agreements is to have money deducted from the tenant’s deposit, to issue the tenant with a written or verbal warning or to ask the tenants to pay for the damages or work themselves.
Actions imposed on tenants who have broken the rules of the tenancy agreement.
Action Imposed |
Proportion of actions |
Money deducted from their deposit |
38 per cent |
Gave them a written or verbal warning |
32 per cent |
Made them pay for the damages or work |
28 per cent |
Did not return the deposit |
26 per cent |
Evicted the tenant |
23 per cent |
Made them rectify the issue |
23 per cent |
Other |
2 per cent |
N/A – I did not take any action |
6 per cent |
(Source: Direct Line Landlord Insurance)
Sarah Casey, Landlord Product Manager at Direct Line, comments: “Property inspections shouldn’t feel intrusive for tenants and are all about building good relationships and keeping an eye out for any emerging issues. Early intervention can often stop these from developing into a bigger problem that requires landlords to take further action.
“Landlords should also make sure that tenancy deposits are held in a government-approved tenancy deposit scheme to help cover costs if, for example, the tenant leaves the property in a filthy state, has broken furniture or removed property supplied by the landlord.”