'Happiness' Study Supports Surge in Demand for Plymouth Rental Homes

Posted by Lang Town & Country on 7th December 2020 -

Plymouth has been named one of the UK’s top 20 ‘happiest places to live’.

Rightmove’s ‘Happy at Home Index’ featured data from more than 21,000 respondents, with Plymouth being ranked 16th on the list.

Since the first lockdown began in March, we’ve seen a leap in the number of people looking for quality rented accommodation throughout the city and surrounding areas.

People have, of course, had a lot of time to revaluate their lives – including where they live.

It could be because they live in a property with no outside space or, as more and more people now work from home, they now need an office or space where they can comfortably work?

These factors contributed to us letting our entire stock of properties for the first time in the 23-year history of the company.

Scroll down to watch a video with Claire and Becky from our lettings team…

Why now is the perfect time to be a landlord in Plymouth

Richard Rabin, Director, says: “What a year it has been for lettings, with unprecedented demand from tenants in the Plymouth region.

“It really has never been a better time to be a landlord, with rental prices reaching levels not seen before for the right properties.

“Plymouth has always been a bit of a sleeping giant, and the stay-at-home period we have seen seems to have opened the floodgates for living in the West Country.

“With tenants wanting a better place to live, whether that was more space or outside space, we witnessed it all. We have also found with the ability to work from home, a greater demand from people outside the area moving to Plymouth.

“Plymouth’s accessibility to both the moors and to the waterfront has been a great draw and offers a better lifestyle for some than being in the hustle and bustle of some cities around the country.”

What we’re doing to help landlords and tenants in Plymouth

Claire Oliveira, our branch manager, says: “There just does not seem to be a lot of properties available for the amount of tenants looking. Whether it’s a one-bed apartment or a four-bed barn conversion, properties are being snapped up.

“Here at Lang Town and Country Lettings, we have a wealth of knowledge with regards to lettings. We are on hand to offer advice with the various management packages we offer, including our Manage Plus service which includes a rent and legal warranty – a must for any landlord especially in today’s climate.

“To enable us to find good tenants our referencing is outsourced to a referencing company, and this is a cost that we bear. If a landlord has a property or properties with another agent, we also offer a free transfer service should they wish to come on board with us, and we are happy to discuss any transfer of properties.

“At the moment, we are offering the options of Zoom appointments with landlords, which is of course very handy particularly if you live or work abroad. Just give us a call on 01752 201010.”

Our Lang Town & Country YouTube channel now has more than 220 subscribers

What is Rightmove’s ‘Happy at Home Index’?

The Rightmove ‘Happy at Home’ study, now in its ninth year, asks people to tell Rightmove how they feel about where they live.

The ‘happiness’ of homeowners and tenants was measured on ten factors, from how friendly the neighbours are and how good the local services are, to the sense of belonging and the quality of the area’s nature and green spaces.

In fact, the South West in general fared extremely well, with no fewer than eight locations across the region making the top 20.

St Ives came out on top, where demand for property has also more than doubled (+120%) compared to this time last year.

The Cornish town topped the table ahead of Skipton (Yorkshire and The Humber) and Leamington Spa (West Midlands) in second and third respectively.

We have let our entire stock of properties for the first time in the company’s 23-year history

What Rightmove says about its ‘Happy at Home Index’ findings

Resident data property expert Tim Bannister, explains: “Our latest research shows that despite all the challenges that this year has brought, many people have been able to reconnect with their local area and community which has had a positive effect on how they feel about where they live.

“Overall, I think lockdown has enabled people to rediscover what’s on their doorstep, and spending more time in their local areas has made people value their surroundings and communities so much more.

“This year’s study shows a greater appreciation for green spaces and nature, and a strong correlation between people living in coastal and rural areas and how happy people are where they live.

“Obviously for many people this year has not been a happy one, so we wanted to use our report to shine a light on the happiest places only, and to find out how lockdown has changed how people feel about where they live.”