According to recent research carried out by Direct Line, one in seven renters have broken the terms set out in their tenancy contracts. Whilst the majority of tenants, 65%, obeyed the rules set out in their rental agreements, 15% admitted that they have broken them. Amazingly, 9% of renters claim not to have a contract at all!
Failure to pay rent on time was one of the most frequently broken terms, along with keeping a pet without authorisation and smoking in the property. In response, the most common sanctions for breaking the tenancy agreement included loss of some or all of the tenant’s deposit, having to pay for damages, and in some extreme cases, even eviction.
What was very telling, however, was that 11% of renters surveyed claimed that they were unsure as to whether they had actually broken any of the rules in their contract or not, highlighting the fact that many tenants are unaware of what their obligations actually are. In order to avoid inadvertently breaking the terms of your tenancy agreement, it is vitally important that you fully understand what it entails.
At Northwood, we understand the importance of setting out clearly, in easy to understand terms, what your general responsibilities and obligations are as a tenant. We have put together a comprehensive Tenants Guide that does just this. It covers everything from reporting repairs, getting additional keys cut right through to the process of giving notice and moving out.
There is currently no single tenancy agreement template used in the UK. It is therefore vital that before signing any tenancy agreement, that it is read thoroughly, understood and accepted. As with any contract, ignorance of any terms or conditions is not a defence so be thorough upfront and avoid being one of the 26% of the tenants either knowingly or unknownly breaking their tenancy agreement.
