Being a landlord is often a challenging role, and a large part of the problems relate to the relationship between themselves and tenants. If you find a good tenant who pays on time, cares for the property and doesn’t cause you any problems, you should do what you can to foster this relationship.

Sadly, disputes between landlords and tenants are on the rise, according to a recent report issued by Ome. Their data indicates the most common cause for disputes between tenants and landlords is no or poor communication. Other issues which negatively impact the relationship include the cleanliness of the property, and damage sustained during the tenancy.

Tenants and landlords will disagree about key matters

In 2019, the number of disputes which were raised by mydeposits stands at 9,323 but only 5,792 reached the adjudication stage. This represents 62.1% of the cases. This is a decrease on the previous year, which saw 64.7% reach the adjudication stage, and 66.4% the previous year.

Further research to the matter suggests 30% of disputes can be attributed to tenants not receiving any feedback as to why the landlord withholds their deposit. In 23% of cases, a disagreement regarding the cleanliness of the property was cited, and 18% of respondents cited damage to the property.

There is a range of issues which cause problems between landlords and tenants

Other issues which were mentioned include redecoration issues, missing items, replaced items and outstanding bills or arrears. However, if there was regular and clear communication between landlords and tenants, most of these problems would be eradicated. If you are a landlord and you are uncomfortable in communicating with tenants, it is best to call on an expert for support. We are more than happy to be the link between yourself and your tenant.

Matthew Hooker is the co-founder of Ome, and he said: “The return of a deposit can often be a cause for an otherwise fantastic tenant-landlord relationship to sour and the stats show that the leading reason for this is poor or lack of communication. The sector is starting to provide solutions to these friction points and technology is helping to create a more transparent end of tenancy process. Ome, for example, will naturally see 30% of these disputes caused by landlords withholding cash without an explanation eradicated by providing a cashless deposit experience. We'll also be pushing improved transparency and communication by pioneering the mandatory check in/check out reports.”

Matthew continued by saying; “Through our research I'm confident that the industry is on the right path and choice, competition and improving technology is helping to raise standards and protect the interests of both tenant and landlord alike.”

If you’re a landlord looking for support in the buy-to-let market, or you would like to arrange a property valuation, get in touch with Andrew Lees. We are pleased to say we have supported many Bridgwater landlords, as well as landlords operating across Sedgemoor & Taunton Deane, and we look forward to helping you.