Agents beware: the need for speed could derail your rent

While a home mover would once be looking for an indoors toilet, central heating and perhaps double glazing as ‘must-haves’ on the moving list, today’s requirements are a little different. A swift commute and a quick broadband connection are two of today’s essentials but the speed at which both of these are executed are increasingly coming under scrutiny.

This July saw comment from the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) published in The Telegraph, warning home owners that the continuing poor performance of Southern Rail could wipe thousands off the value of properties along the route. It is feared the 250+ cancelled trains per day are leading to an untenable commute for travelers, with a faltering desire for places between Central London and the South coast, through East and West Sussex, Surrey, and parts of Kent and Hampshire. The NAEA say the regular days of 30 minutes or more may prompt potential homes mover to move further away but where there are more reliable rail networks (and cheaper house prices). 

While the comment was focusing on sales, the sentiment can be applied to lettings too, as a frustrated commuter is just as likely to be a tenant as an owner occupier.

Speed (or the lack of it) was also the focal point earlier in 2016 when the editor of broadband comparison website, Broadband Genie, wrote about how poor broadband can affect rental values and house prices. Estimates claim a slow connection could lower values as much as 20% and with many property search facilities now giving people the option to see the broadband speed at a property they’re interested in, the connection is crucial.

Agents need to be aware of both of these points, addressing areas of concern and highlighting the positives. There’s not much that can be done at agency level to improve commuting times but when marketing a property, it’s worth highlighting alternative transport links, and flagging up an planned improvements to the public transport and road network. The broadband is something agents can influence – perhaps after a quick chat with the landlord. It’s worth getting the broadband speed tested and equipment updated before exploring other options, such and cable, fibre optic, receiver and satellite broadband.

Summer is the perfect time to conduct some research to ensure every home you market is portrayed in the most positive light. Don’t be slow off the mark or let your lack of speed have a detrimental effect on your success.

ARPM

Simon Duce is the Founder and Managing Director of ARPM Outsourced Lettings Support - a business designed to help small and start-up letting agents/property managers offer a full suite of property management and tenancy administration services through outsourcing.

You May Also Enjoy

Estate Agent Talk

The ‘Rentvesting’ Strategy: Owning a Home Where You Can’t Afford to Live

Oh, the ever-evolving property market. Keeps us wondering: how will I keep my head above water? And this is how a war-like property strategist is born. One of these savvy strategies is called: rentvesting. This is the art of renting where you want to live and buying where it fits your wallet.  Getting your foot…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Momentum gathers for retail investment as Bank Rate cut again

Demand to invest in retail property was up by 30% in Q3 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 The office market is also continuing to recover, with investment demand up by 31% over the same period, and leasing demand up by 7% Overall demand to invest in commercial property was up by 11%…
Read More
Breaking News

Surge in first-time buyers’ preference for cheaper homes subsides as market adjusts to April’s stamp duty changes

Proportion of first-time buyers purchasing properties under £300k decreased to 64.3 per cent in September, following a peak of 72.0 per cent in May after changes to stamp duty thresholds Detached and semi-detached homes now make up nearly two-thirds of non-first-time buyer purchases, as ‘second-steppers’ look for long-term security Spending on mortgage and rental payments…
Read More
Breaking News

UK House Price Index summary: August 2025

The average price of a property in the UK was £273,000 The annual price change for a property in the UK was 3.0% The monthly price change for a property in the UK was 0.8% The monthly index figure (January 2023 = 100) for the UK was 104.6   Colleen Babcock, Rightmove’s property expert, says:…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 22/10/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Why software audits matter for Proptechs In today’s hyper-competitive real estate technology landscape, scaling too quickly, or operating with outdated or inefficient systems can expose firms to risks far beyond lost opportunities. That’s why an increasing number of organisations are turning to a specialised…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Demand for project properties soars versus general market

New research from The Property DriveBuy reveals that demand for fixer-upper properties is easily eclipsing overall market demand as homebuyers demonstrate a strong appetite for renovation projects amidst ongoing affordability restrictions due to stubbornly higher mortgage rates and slow but steady house price growth. Across England, there are currently an estimated 601,525 homes listed for…
Read More