{"id":264,"date":"2015-09-20T09:33:44","date_gmt":"2015-09-20T09:33:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/how-britain-is-a-nation-of-invisible-renters\/"},"modified":"2018-02-19T14:16:03","modified_gmt":"2018-02-19T14:16:03","slug":"how-britain-is-a-nation-of-invisible-renters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/how-britain-is-a-nation-of-invisible-renters\/","title":{"rendered":"How Britain Is a Nation Of Invisible Renters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- SEO Ultimate Plus (https:\/\/seoultimateplus.com) - Code Inserter module -->\n<script async>(function(s,u,m,o,j,v){j=u.createElement(m);v=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0];j.async=1;j.src=o;j.dataset.sumoSiteId='b68b392479b5981b8acf46565e9fe32a0734fc21a1f7c1e60121eaa6ca1a1c64';v.parentNode.insertBefore(j,v)})(window,document,'script','\/\/load.sumo.com\/');<\/script>\n<!-- \/SEO Ultimate Plus -->\n\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\">A<span style=\"font-size: small;\">ccording to new research commissioned by Direct Line for Business, there are 3.3 million people across the UK living in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-to-rent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rented accommodation<\/a> who are not listed on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/tenant-referencing-for-free\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tenancy agreement<\/a>.\u00a0 Almost half (49per cent) of <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Residential area\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/residential-area\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/residential_area;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.02nfxt;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Residential_area\" >residential<\/a> lettings agencies, who check <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Property\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/property\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/property;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.05wrt;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Property\" >properties<\/a> under management, have found multiple occupants living in a <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"homes\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/housing-estate\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/housing_estate;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.01rtvp;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Housing_estate\" >home<\/a> unofficially.\u00a0 Three quarters (75 per cent) of these resident \u2018ghosts\u2019 have been living in other people\u2019s <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"rental\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/renting\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/renting;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.01y857;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Renting\" >rented<\/a> homes unofficially for more than six months.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/online-estate-agents\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lettings agents<\/a> who have discovered people living in rented properties who were not listed on the <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"tenant\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/leasehold-estate\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/leasehold_estate;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.03jg1x;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Leasehold_estate\" >tenancy<\/a> agreement, have found on average almost one in ten (8 per cent) of the properties on their books were affected.\u00a0 In one property in Reading multiple families were found to be living in a two bedroom house, when just one person was listed on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/tenancy-agreement \" title=\"tenancy agreement\">tenancy agreement<\/a>. Not only could this be in contravention of housing regulations, but with so many people living in a confined space the risk of wear and tear on the property and risk of <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Property damage\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/property-damage\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/property_damage;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.0clxv;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Property_damage\" >damage<\/a> is magnified significantly. This could potentially pose a serious financial burden for repairs on <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Landlord\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/landlord\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/landlord;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.02mx_6;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Landlord\" >landlords<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a name=\"1413a9fabaccf8d0__GoBack\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\">Landlords\u2019 insurance policies and potentially their <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Building\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/building\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/building;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.0cgh4;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Building\" >buildings<\/a> cover could be invalidated if multiple occupants are living in a property but are not listed on the tenancy agreement.\u00a0 It is important that landlords regularly check that the people listed as the occupants on their <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Lease\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/lease\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/lease;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.03x_d3f;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Lease\" >rental agreement<\/a> are actually the tenants of the property and that the tenants have not sublet or allowed others to also live in the property full time.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\">Jane Guaschi, Business Manager at Direct Line for Business<\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\">, commented: \u201cLettings agents have seen significant damage caused to properties where people were crammed into a home while not listed on the lease.\u00a0 In one property we heard of, shelving had been removed from a cupboard under the <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"step\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/stairs\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/stairs;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.01lynh;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Stairs\" >stairs<\/a> to create a makeshift <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"bedrooms\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/bedroom\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/bedroom;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.02_58j;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Bedroom\" >bedroom<\/a>.\u00a0 Landlords can reduce the financial risks associated with renting out properties by taking out insurance to cover against risks such as accidental damage.\u00a0 However, this cover could be invalidated if there are occupants who are not listed on the tenancy agreement.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><b style=\"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;\">The research also highlighted the vast majority of landlords do not change the locks on properties between tenancies, even if not all the keys have been returned.\u00a0 Of the letting agencies <a class=\"wl-entity-page-link\" title=\"Surveying\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/surveying\/\" data-id=\"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/entity\/surveying;http:\/\/rdf.freebase.com\/ns\/m.0gjm7;http:\/\/dbpedia.org\/resource\/Surveying\" >surveyed<\/a> the vast majority (71 per cent) said that on average 9 out of 10 landlords on their books did not change the locks between tenancies.\u00a0 With many tenants cutting multiple sets of keys to give to partners or family this poses a significant security risk.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-para-margin-top: .01gd; mso-para-margin-right: 0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom: .01gd; mso-para-margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; margin: .1pt 0cm .1pt 0cm;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to new research commissioned by Direct Line for Business, there are 3.3 million people across the UK living in rented accommodation who are not listed on the tenancy agreement.\u00a0 Almost half (49per cent) of residential lettings agencies, who check<span class=\"ellipsis\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/how-britain-is-a-nation-of-invisible-renters\/\">Read more &#8250;<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":265,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wl_entities_gutenberg":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","spay_email":""},"categories":[17,9],"tags":[],"wl_entity_type":[602],"modified_by":null,"_wl_alt_label":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/how_britain_is_nation_invisible_renters.jpg","wl:entity_url":"http:\/\/data.wordlift.io\/wl0502\/post\/how_britain_is_a_nation_of_invisible_renters","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=264"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15043,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/264\/revisions\/15043"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=264"},{"taxonomy":"wl_entity_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thehouseshop.com\/property-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wl_entity_type?post=264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}