A survey by fish4homes reveals that the UK is a nation of demanding house-hunters and that Residential Landlords can often expect strange requests from tenants seeking accommodation.

72 percent of those surveyed also revealed they have farfetched ideas of what we will get for their money.
Lisa Martin, PR Manager for Leaders Lettings Agents, said: “We have noticed that Brits do have a tendency to be very upfront about their needs when looking for a home.

“We have had some interesting requests from clients ranging from a repaint of the front door as the client was superstitious, to people wanting a garden to be astro-turfed because they didn’t want to mow the 10 x 10 ft lawn!

“At the end of the day, we manage our clients’ expectations by explaining exactly what you can get for your money and what you could get if you travelled one mile further down the road.”

In the survey, when asked what was the most important thing when looking for a property, over 90 percent care most about the size of the rooms, with nearly half (46 percent) being concerned about the state of the fitted kitchen and 41 percent about the bathroom suite.

Interestingly 13 percent worried about the ergonomics or feng shui of a property, with 14 percent needing a separate toilet to the bathroom, and 16 percent cited concern over the colour of the walls.

When asked about the importance of outdoor features, the size of the back garden was top of the list with 61 percent of us demanding a large back garden, and 34 percent of us requiring a driveway to park the car. 6 percent of those surveyed were more concerned about having space for a pet than those who had issues around security (2 percent).

Factors such as the distance to the nearest train station (76 percent), the length of the commute (72 percent), the volume of traffic on the road (51 percent), and the local school catchment area are all important issues when making that ever important decision.

Stewart Black, head of sales fish4homes said: “As more and more properties are available for rent and for sale, Brits are understandably looking for more for their money. It is important to realise however, that estate agents are not magicians and cannot create a perfect house with all the extras, on a small budget. Clients need to be honest and realistic when they start house hunting and research as much as possible to know what their money will buy.”

To help find your ideal home, fish4homes recommends the following:

1. Budget carefully and be realistic about what you can afford to spend
2. Check the area you like at day and night, and then look a little further afield to see if you can get more in a different street – you might be surprised with your results
3. Make sure you know the Borough Council and Schooling if that is important to you
4. Calculate the worst case scenario for your commute to work or for the school run
   If outdoor space or a driveway is important you might need to compromise on the size of the spare room or storage facilities
5. Don’t expect letting and estate agents to work wonders. They can only show you the properties which are available and which fit your criteria.
   If your priorities change, don’t forget to tell your estate agent.
6. If you like a property, go for a second viewing and have a second opinion from a friend or family member.