Partner Article

Landlords lose £500/household/year by not providing adequate broadband

*Populus study reveals superfast broadband performance could be worth up to £542.04 extra per household each year

*More than 2 in 5 surveyed say they value broadband equally to water, gas and electricity

*Almost a third of Britons would never consider letting or purchasing a property with no superfast broadband services available

The UK’s Private Rental Sector (PRS) is losing £542.04 per household each year by failing to meet expectations when it comes to providing options for superfast broadband performance, according to a new study among 2,000 GB adults by Populus. Commissioned by Relish Business, the research highlights the extent to which the UK needs to catch up with growing customer expectations for connectivity and to ensure it remains digitally competitive.

Poor service – resulting in buffering and slow downloads – knocks a staggering average £45.17 off the monthly value respondents are prepared to pay per household, while reliability of the speed promised within agreed packages is the most important factor for consumers when considering having broadband installed. This comes above other key elements including a low monthly baseline fee (4th) and great customer service and response times (7th).

The report also shows that a large proportion (43%) of respondents value access to superfast broadband equally as important as having water, gas and electricity in their homes, showcasing the importance placed upon it as a vital, everyday service they can rely on.

30% of respondents say they would never consider renting or purchasing a property if there was no superfast broadband connection available, further underlining consumers’ reliance upon superfast broadband connections across the UK.

The mounting expectations showcased by the report follow the recent launch of Building Gigabit Britain, a comprehensive research report by the Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) outlining the benefits of investment by network providers and the government alike in pure fibre networks. They also underline the vital role communications providers have to innovate in the market to deliver outstanding connectivity for customers.

Matthew O’Connor, director of enterprise, said: “The findings revealed by today’s report really work to highlight how vital and valuable broadband is for commercial landlords, developers and residents alike. Poor broadband services are far too commonplace up and down the country due to the age and infrastructure of many buildings, however with customer expectations always increasing, it’s key that landlords invest in the solutions that are right for the properties they manage, so they can ultimately capitalise on the opportunities connectivity presents.”

Populus created its report for Relish Business based on detailed fieldwork among 2,000 GB adults, nationally representative across the UK.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Relish Business .