Almost a third of renters rate the process of finding a rental property as average at best, with the laborious process of completing paperwork and poor communication from letting agents ranking as the biggest pain points according to Dwelly.

Only 30% of UK renters rated the overall experience of securing their most recent rental property as average at best, with some going as far to say it was poor or very poor.

Sam Humphreys, Head of M&A at Dwelly, said: “The rental market landscape has evolved dramatically over the years but despite the many improvements made, many renters continue to find the process of securing a property challenging and for the same reasons they did twenty odd years ago. 

“Demand for rental homes has exploded in recent years as soaring house prices have forced many to rent for longer. At the same time, the government’s consistent attack on buy-to-let landlords has reduced the level of stock available and so it’s no surprise that finding a suitable property is the biggest obstacle facing today’s renters.

“We’ve also seen the level of paperwork and compliance requirements increase, which have put further pressure on letting agents who are already dealing with a high volume of applicants.”

44% of respondents stated that it took them more than four weeks to secure a rental property once they had begun their search. Whilst a further 22% stated that it took between two to four weeks. 

60% of respondents ranked the ability to find a suitable rental property as the most problematic part of securing a place to live.