The ending of fixed-term tenancies means landlords could lose oversight of the condition of their properties, warns Inventory Base’s Siân Hemming-Metcalfe.

Nearly half of landlords plan to inspect their rental properties no more than once a year after the Renters’ Rights Act replaces fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies (ASTs) with periodic tenancies in May, according to Inventory Base.

A survey of 885 UK landlords commissioned by the property inspection platform found that very few are planning on changing their routines, despite the loss of the natural checkpoint for the condition of their properties that fixed-term contracts currently provide.

Condition issues

A total of 46% of landlords intend to inspect their properties once a year at most. Of these, 26% say they plan annual inspections, while 3% say they will do them less than once a year. Another 18% say they would only carry one out when a tenant reports a problem.

Inventory Base says its findings suggest landlords could lose oversight of their properties’ conditions during longer tenancies unless inspections are carried out more regularly.

“Landlords and agents will need to move beyond treating inspections as isolated reports and start building a continuous understanding of how their properties perform over time.”

Siân Hemming-Metcalfe (pictured), the firm’s Operations Director, says: “As the Renters’ Rights Act reshapes the private rental sector, landlords and agents will need to move beyond treating inspections as isolated reports and start building a continuous understanding of how their properties perform over time.

“With indefinite periodic tenancies replacing fixed terms, many properties may remain occupied for much longer without the traditional reset point that previously came with a new tenancy. That means property management can no longer rely on occasional snapshots of condition.”

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