Here is the first blog in a series from key industry influencer Frank Webster. In this series on the private rented sector, Frank considers the opportunities for positive change.
Changing demands… A more demanding audience?
Have things really changed because of the pandemic? Clearly, it has made a massive impact of people’s lives. It will likely shape property preferences for some time to come. But will we see a marked difference in tenant expectations?
Personally I think things have been changing for a while, but the pandemic has crystallised and accelerated these fundamentals. The pressure on the housing sector has been building for many years. The lack of clear and practical working solutions to the housing crisis - to building more social housing - regrettably delayed by years of a long and winding road to the election and Brexit outcomes.
And then there’s the abhorrent malpractice in the management of fire safety resulting in the cladding scandal - all of this has unsurprisingly led to mistrust in the sector, increased frustrations and impacted many lives. What a mess!
The pandemic with its terrible death toll and the numerous lockdowns has compounded this nightmare, but importantly it has reminded us of our priorities in life, reminded us of values and of those close to us.
It has also highlighted the value of our built environment and the impact this has on our lives and how we feel. Never before have we spent so much time inside our homes.
