Rental security and the property manager in a tenant’s search for a private rental property

Abstract

This article builds on current understandings of rental security by exploring the important role of the property manager in a tenant's search for a private rental property. In the absence of any legislated right to housing, as is the case in many Anglophone societies, the decision to accept or reject a tenancy application is in the hands of the landlord, and, in many cases, the property manager, who provides expert advice to the landlord. A qualitative content analysis of blogs featured on two national websites advertising rental properties in Australia, identifies six aspects of interactions between the tenant and property manager argued to impact a tenant’s ability to secure a rental property: responsibility, making an impression, established relationships, honesty, flexibility and creative thinking. Findings suggest that understandings of rental security need to extend beyond a tenant’s experience while leasing and must incorporate experiences during the search for a private rental property.

Keywords:

• Secure occupancy
• housing security
• rental housing
• property manager
• tenant
• social relations

Notes

Acknowledgments

My thanks go to my supervisors Dr. Emma Power and Professor Andrew Gorman‐Murray for their exceptional guidance and support in the preparation of this paper. I would also like to thank the three anonymous reviewers whose constructive and valuable insights have improved this paper.

Notes

1 Unlike Australia and the UK, the US is experiencing a decline in mobility among private renters. In 2017 renters in the US moved less than any year since 1988. However, when compared to owner-occupied tenure, US renters still experience high rates of mobility (Moore, 2017).

2 Hiscock et al. (2001, p. 50) state; ‘Ontological security is one of a number of concepts that suggests that people need more than just adequate sustenance and shelter to live happy and fulfilled lives. They also need a secure base to which they can return if in trouble or fatigued.’ While people can gain a sense of ontological security in many ways, a sense of home is a common and important way ontological security is achieved.

3 ‘Tenancy databases are electronic databases operated by commercial market providers from which, for a fee, property managers can obtain information regarding prospective tenants. They have been developed and are marketed as a professional tool to protect the interests of property owners and lessors. They are used to screen prospective tenants and so reduce property owners’ exposure to rental tenancy risks. Their use has become widespread in Australia and elsewhere [including the UK and the US]’ (Short et al., 2003, p. i). The laws governing tenancy databases, particularly legislation regarding data protection vary between these countries (Short et al., 2003).

4 The blogs are no longer referred to as ‘blogs’ but are under the heading ‘news’.