Agents Apr 15, 2024 < 1 min read
E-BOOK: The impacts of the cost of living crisis on the lettings industry 2024
The escalating cost of living has rapidly and significantly impacted the UK lettings industry. Agents are working…
As the UK economy faces a period of uncertainty marked by a cost of living crisis and soaring inflation rates, the rental industry is arguably one of the most impacted sectors. Renters are allocating a third of their household income on rent, the highest percentage spent on any tenure type.
There is little evidence to suggest this will ease, as the reported 10% year-on-year increase to rents in July represented the largest increase since the statistics body began tracking rents in 2016 and shows little sign of retracting.
How No Deposit eases the financial burden of deposits
Renting a home has long been associated with the burden of finding a substantial upfront deposit, amounting to 5 week’s rent, which can be a significant obstacle for individuals seeking housing during times of financial hardship or restricted cash flow. Particularly when combining the upfront payment of the first month’s rent in advance.
Even if tenants can find the deposit, many would prefer the choice of holding on to the bulk of their cash, a choice that still far too many are not provided.
Our No Deposit solution offers this choice and eases the financial strain for tenants at the start of their tenancy, replacing a 5 week traditional deposit with a one-off cost of one week’s rent (+VAT), while doubling landlords’ protection.
Evidence of a growing appetite with tenants
Towards the end of 2022, we released our latest rental solution, flatfair Deposits. This service allows agents to manage all deposit types in one platform, ensuring tenants have the choice of a traditional deposit or flatfair No Deposit.
During the months of October and November, No Deposit accounted for less than a quarter of plan sales from partners using Deposits. However, these figures have now risen to over 50%, showing a growing appetite for upfront savings to aid cash flow amidst the rising cost of living.
“The surge in demand for deposit alternatives coupled with the importance of offering a choice means we are seeing many of the biggest names in the industry such as Beals, Boydens, Breckon & Breckon, Castledene, CGT, Dawsons Property and Greystar adopting flatfair Deposits, with many more partners in the process of signing up. This is an important step in our mission to make renting better and fairer for all.” – flatfair CEO, Gary Wright
Signing up to flatfair Deposits not only provides your customers with a choice and our unique benefits, it also increases revenue for agents and operators with each No Deposit plan. Get in touch today so you can stand out in the lettings industry and support your tenants with the choice of lower upfront costs.
