A survey of over 1,300 landlords by BDRC BVA, on behalf of Paragon, showed that a fifth of landlords said a property with a garden was at the top of their tenants’ list of requirements in response to coronavirus.

Properties with a space to work from home (15%) and a fast broadband connection (12%) came in second and third position.

“Coronavirus has prompted people to think about how and where they want to live,” confirmed Richard Rowntree, managing director of mortgages at Paragon Bank (pictured above).

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“Space is clearly becoming a priority over other aspects, such as being close to amenities or good schools, while it seems people also expect home working to become more common going forward.” 

The research highlighted that landlords with larger portfolios are more likely to report tenants demanding outside space. 

Just under a third of landlords (32%) with 20-plus properties in their portfolio said that tenants were prioritising outside space, falling to 20% for those with two to three properties.  

The findings also showed that 36% of landlords looking to acquire new property over the next 12 months would target a semi-detached house, up from 33% during the same period last year. 

In addition, 12% said they would target a detached house, against 9% in Q2 2019. 

Demand for terraced housing remained steady at 50%. 

“Landlords are looking at the opportunities available to them and what type of properties tenants will want going forward,” Richard added.

“They have to ensure that tenant demand is robust and sustainable in the long term and whether the behavioural changes we are witnessing today will be here tomorrow, also.