The current crisis and lockdown measures are creating new challenges for people living with domestic abuse. For example, people may be trapped at home with their abuser and unable to escape from the abuse. And given the PRS accounts for nearly 20 per cent of all properties in England, a letting agent or landlord could be the first to know about domestic abuse.
Agents and landlords are in a unique position to spot potential warning signs such as unexplained damage to the property, requests for lock changes and repairs, recurring repairs and the accumulation of rent arrears. Although there is no legal requirement to act on or report domestic abuse, Propertymark aims to help agents and landlords develop a wider understanding of these issues and consider appropriate actions that can be taken.
Offering a helpful response requires a basic awareness of what domestic abuse is and a couple of simple strategies for responding to it if it is suspected, that’s why, together with DAHA, ARLA Propertymark has updated their guidance for member agents which looks at:
- What domestic abuse is
- Some of the different forms of abuse
- Steps you can take as part of your role as a landlord or agent
- Further information and support
DAHA has further guidance on domestic abuse which can be found on their website. Propertymark will continue to work with DAHA to further develop our agents and their landlord’s knowledge on domestic abuse and in turn, help them support their tenants.
Read the fact sheet
ARLA Propertymark Members can log in to the website to access the newly updated fact sheet
Fact sheet: Domestic abuse support for tenants
The PRS accounts for nearly 20 per cent of all households in England and houses more families than social housing. It's therefore good practice for letting agents have the confidence to respond appropriately and know what signs to look out for.
