Asktenants.co.uk: UKs Number 1 Rate My Landlord site

Many Rate my landlord websites have emerged in the last decade as section 5 of Defamation Act 2013 has created a framework under which these websites can safely operate. However, most of these Rate my landlord websites have closed down due to lack of attention from the tenant community.   Asktenants.co.uk is one such Rate my landlord site which was launched in 2014 and still operating. The site has thousands of reviews by UK tenants. Asktenants.co.uk has below unique features which sets it apart from other Rate my landlord sites:

1. Tenants upon registration complete a survey style multiple choice Q&A. Depending on answers to the survey questions each property is assigned a score. The survey is designed to cover all areas of property and is available for all future tenants to see. This format allows the review to be comprehensive and structured.

2. Unlike other Rate my landlord sites, comments section of the review is optional. Data shows that more than half the tenants on Asktenants.co.uk do not leave any comments as they find the survey so comprehensive.

3. Apart from Rate my landlord functionality, Asktenants.co.uk have several useful blogs. They cover tenancy deposit disputes, mould, landlord tenant laws, property viewing checklist, rights of tenants in HMOs, Section 21 eviction notices and lot more.

Based on thousands of landlord ratings/surveys completed by tenants on Asktenants.co.uk we have found below information on state of UK rental properties:

• Third of tenants in the UK faced boiler, leaks, mould or condensation issues with their rented property. These issues were not resolved by landlords to tenant’s satisfaction.
• One in ten tenants faced severe rodent infestation in their rental property.
• One in ten rented properties in the UK receive no sunlight at all during the day.
• More than half of the tenants would not recommend the property to future tenants.

Above statistics are in line with  according to exclusive analysis by  The Independent which reveals almost a third (29 per cent) of homes rented from private landlords fail to meet the national Decent Homes Standard – meaning they either contain safety hazards or do not have acceptable kitchen and bathroom facilities or adequate heating

While many tenants are perfectly happy with their landlord some of them have highlighted hazardous living conditions including chronic mould and dangerous electrical connections. Asktenants.co.uk proactively shares this data with media and councils to ensure they are up to speed with the difficulty’s tenants are facing in the UK. On an average one landlord review is viewed by over hundred tenants who are looking to rent a property in the area. These statistics show that Rate my Landlord sites can make a difference in improving the quality of rental properties in the UK. No Landlord will like their property online with a poor review as future tenants will be hesitant to rent that property.

To summarize, Rate my Landlord websites are here to stay. The more properties are rated the more useful the websites become. Please help contributing to this change by posting your rental experience on Asktenants.co.uk