It can be all too easy to reduce a rental advert to just the number of bedrooms available, but there are many other factors that make a rental property desirable to prospective tenants.

To discover what draws renters to a property the most, Uswitch surveyed more than 2,000 UK tenants on which features are most important to them, to help the company compile its ‘Renters’ Requirements’ report.

The survey also asked whether tenants prefer furnished properties, or instead look for an unfurnished ‘blank slate’ to make their own. Opinion was split down the middle, with half of renters searching for unfurnished properties and half for part-furnished or fully furnished.

When it came to what attracts a tenant the most, security features within the home are the number one priority for renters in the UK, with 60% of respondents placing home safety at the top of their lists.

Almost four in ten (38%) respondents stated that secure doors and windows within the property is one of the most important elements they look for in a rental property. Similarly, more than two in ten (22%) look for safety features such as an alarm system or a Ring video doorbell.

Uswitch survey data reveals that access to a garden or private outdoor space is the second most desirable property feature for renters. The pandemic lockdowns highlighted the importance of access to outside space within the home, and fresh air. Almost half (46%) of respondents stated that this was a priority for them. Gardens ranked as the second most desirable feature for all age groups except those in the 18-24 bracket, who ranked it second (36%), narrowly behind permission to keep pets (37%).