A home being pet-friendly is the most desirable attribute in a rental property, according to research by buy-to-let focussed marketplace lender, Landbay. The study delves into the psyche of 2,000 private renters in the UK, offering insight to landlords on the wants and needs of their tenants.

The research found that nearly one-in-seven (14%) renters in the UK rated ‘pets being allowed in the property’ as their most important requirement. In Wales the most desirable is also pets allowed in a home, at 20%. The most pet-friendly region is the North East (27%), and the least is London, with just 3% rating it top of the list. Women are more than twice as likely (18%) as men (8%) to prioritise a pet-friendly property.

The second most popular attribute in Wales is an unfurnished property, followed by access to a garden. In the UK, a home which is unfurnished comes second, with 12% of renters saying this is the most desirable attribute. Perhaps tellingly, renters aged 55 and above (22%) are five times more likely to consider an unfurnished property as crucially important than those aged between 18 and 34 (4%).

A garden was also third in the UK, with 11% of renters rating outdoor space as their most important attribute. Parents (15%) are more than twice as likely to prioritise a garden compared to non-parents (7%.)

Having a dryer came bottom of the list of most desirable attributes in the UK with just 1% of renters considering it key to their home. A king-sized bed, a balcony, and a dishwasher also polled just 1%. In Wales, the bottom three were a balcony, en-suite bathrooms, and king-sized beds.

Deborah Mudway, Director, Landbay comments:

“This will make interesting reading for landlords, who could be forgiven for believing little luxuries like a dishwasher, dryer and even a king-sized bed make all the difference for tenants. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

“Landbay is investing in a research series to help landlords understand tenants and opportunities within the private rental sector. This edition shows renters value two key attributes above all others that are fundamentally free to bring in. In short, they want to make their property feel like home by bringing both pets and their own furniture with them. The reality is, aside from a deeper clean at the end of a tenancy, this really isn’t hard for landlords to implement.

“Essentially, landlords knowing what renters want can make for a happier, more prosperous relationship which benefits both parties in the long run.”