Research by lettings agency Carter Jonas revealed what the company calls the top priorities for tenants as the 2020s begin. The survey - which was taken at the end of 2019 - only spoke to 300 renters, but Carter Jonas shared the findings with trade publication Letting Agent Today.
High-speed broadband was outlined as the most in-demand ‘essential' for a rental property, even more so than a modern kitchen or bathroom. That said, when ranked on what tenants would be prepared to pay more for, newly-refurbished kitchens and bathrooms came out on top.
The research looked at essentials for renters of apartments and houses. For apartment renters, the top three essentials were high-speed broadband, a modern kitchen/bathroom and allocated parking. For house tenants, high-speed broadband also came out on top, followed by off-street parking and a modern kitchen/bathroom.

The three least important features for apartment renters, meanwhile, were revealed to be outside space, blackout blinds/curtains, and a property alarm, while the least important essentials for house tenants were fitted wardrobes, blackout blinds/curtains and a property alarm.
The survey also asked tenants to list features it would be willing to pay a premium for. For flat tenants, the top three features worth paying more for were a newly refurbished kitchen and bathroom, outside space and allocated parking, while house tenants said they would pay extra for a newly refurbished kitchen and bathroom, a more energy efficient property and a garage.
The three features flat tenants were least willing to pay for were communal leisure amenities, workspace and a concierge service, while the three features house tenants were least willing to pay more for were air conditioning, a property alarm and a media/family room.

Unsurprising results

Although the sample size here was only small, the results weren't unexpected - and are in broadly line with what most research tells us about tenants' priorities. With the work from home boom, the huge importance of the internet in people's daily lives, and more recent habits such as online shopping, Netflix bingeing and online banking, it's really no great surprise that high-speed broadband is so cherished by so many.