The Unofficial Personalities of Tenants (A Light-hearted Guide for Landlords)

After years in lettings, one thing becomes very clear: Tenants tend to fall into certain “types”.

Here are a few that many landlords will recognise.

(Names have been changed to protect the innocent… and occasionally the chaotic.)

The DIY Enthusiast

This tenant means well. They’ll fix things themselves, often before telling anyone. Sometimes brilliantly… sometimes creatively.

One landlord once discovered a washing machine installed using what can only be described as garden hose and optimism.

The Silent Tenant

You rarely hear from them.

Months go by without a single message.

Then suddenly… one email arrives containing six maintenance issues, three lightbulbs and something about a mysterious tapping noise since October.

The House Proud Tenant

Every landlord loves this one.

The property is spotless, plants are thriving, and they might even repaint a room better than it was before.

If you ever come across this tenant — treasure them.

The Midnight Reporter

Maintenance requests always arrive at 11:47pm.

They start with:
“Sorry for the late message but…”

This tenant is actually very responsible — they just happen to notice things at the most inconvenient hour possible.

The Long-Term Keeper

The ultimate tenant.

They stay for years, treat the property like their own home and rarely cause any issues.

These tenants are the reason many landlords discover that a good tenant is worth far more than squeezing an extra £25 a month in rent.