According to a survey by leading online lettings agent Upad.co.uk, just ahead of Valentine's Day, it has been revealed that, overall, landlords would prefer to rent their properties to couples as opposed to single tenants. In fact, two thirds of landlords would, given the choice, opt to rent their rental property to a couple. This might be welcome news for those looking to create a love nest but it is not so good news for those who wish to rent a property of their own.

The research by Upad suggests the reasons behind this preference is that landlords favour the security of a renting couple; who they might feel are more likely to take a longer lease, will treat the property more like a home and most importantly, they feel are more likely to keep up with their rental payments. Upad says that over half of its one and two bedroom properties are let out to couples.

James Davis, Founder of Upad.co.uk comments: “Of course there are many factors involved as to why a couple may be a more appealing prospect for a landlord but our research does seem to suggest this to be the case. One of the biggest reasons seems to be that they are perceived to treat the property more like a home and by spreading the risk, a couple is more likely to keep up with rental payments. However, in defence of single renters, we must point out that there is always a chance that a couple may split up and this may result in complications for a landlord including the early termination of a lease and leaving them with new tenants to find.”

Upad also points out that the increasing cost of renting a property will also make it more likely for a couple to live in a one bedroom property, making living together a more affordable option, especially when it comes to younger tenants.

James adds: “Over the next three years we could expect to see rent increasing by up to 10%. This combined with council tax, utility bills and general household bills will literally mean double the costs for anyone renting on their own.  On the whole, given the costs associated with renting, single renters today are more likely to rent in a house share of some description where they can split some of these costs with housemates. This will allow them to make more savings and put them in a better position to build a deposit to perhaps buy their own property, should that be their ultimate plan.”

Upad is the UK's largest online letting agency, rapidly growing and disrupting the traditional high street letting agent model. It has serviced over 12,500 satisfied landlords so far and the number is growing daily. Upad has gained popularity by allowing landlords to get their property advertised on Rightmove and Zoopla (at a fraction of the cost), whilst still being able to provide an excellent customer service.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

For further details about Upad.co.uk or for an interview with James Davis, please contact Kathryn Reucroft on 07397 383 227 or email kathryn@building-relations.co.uk