Many rental problems do not begin with bad landlords or difficult tenants.
Quite often, they begin with good intentions and silence.
Silence about rent reviews. Silence about maintenance. Silence about what happens when circumstances eventually change.
Consider a tenant who moved into a two-bedroom terraced house in Wolverhampton in 2016 at £690 per month.
By 2020, the rent was still £690, while the market rent had risen to around £705.
In 2022, the landlord increased the rent to £715, but the market rent had moved to around £843.
By 2025, the tenant was paying £765 per month, while the market rent was around £950.
That is a difference of £185 per month.
From the landlord’s point of view, keeping the rent low can feel like the right thing to do.
The tenant pays reliably, looks after the property and there are no void periods, advertising costs or difficult conversations.
From the tenant’s side, the arrangement works too. They build their household finances around the rent, settle into the property and often accept that the kitchen or bathroom may not be the most modern because the rent feels reasonable.
The problem is that the gap can slowly become too large.
Over the period in this example, Wolverhampton rents rose by 37.7%, while the landlord increased the rent by just 10.9%.
That may look generous, but it can create problems later.
When Circumstances Change
Eventually, something changes.
The landlord may retire, need to release capital or simply decide to sell.
Suddenly, a property with a tenant paying £185 per month below market rent can be less attractive to another investor because the rental yield is lower.
If the property also needs cosmetic improvement, that can make the situation even more difficult.
The landlord may then face a choice between increasing the rent, selling with the tenant in place or looking at selling vacant.
None of those options is particularly comfortable after years of a good relationship.
And even if another landlord buys the property with the tenant remaining, the problem may simply be postponed.
The new owner has no long-standing relationship with the tenant. They see an investment producing significantly less than the market rent and may decide to review it.
The tenant can then face a much larger increase than if smaller rent reviews had taken place over time.
That is the irony.
The original landlord believed they were being kind, but by avoiding reasonable increases for years, they may have created a much bigger shock later.
Are Regular Rent Reviews Actually Kinder?
In many cases, yes.
That does not mean landlords should always charge the maximum possible rent.
A reliable, long-term tenant has real value, and there is nothing wrong with keeping the rent slightly below the market.
The important word is slightly.
Regular, modest reviews allow tenants to adjust gradually and help landlords maintain a sustainable income from the property.
They can also reduce the risk of a huge adjustment being needed several years later.
Being a good landlord is not simply about keeping the rent low.
It is about maintaining the property, communicating with tenants, meeting legal obligations and managing the tenancy sensibly over the long term.
Sometimes, what looks like kindness in the short term can create a much bigger problem later.
If you manage your own rental property and this sounds familiar, the answer is not necessarily to impose a large rent increase.
The first step is simply to understand where you stand.
What would the property realistically rent for today?
How far is the current rent from the market?
And what would be a sensible way forward for both landlord and tenant?
At Skitts Estate Agents, our lettings team can provide an opinion on the current rental value of your property and talk through your options.
For free, no-obligation advice, call our lettings team on 0121 520 2255.
How often should a landlord review the rent?
Regular reviews help prevent a rent becoming significantly disconnected from the market. Reviewing the rent does not necessarily mean increasing it every time.
Is it sensible to keep the rent low for a good tenant?
It can be. Many landlords deliberately charge a reliable tenant slightly below market rent. Problems tend to arise when the gap becomes substantial over several years.
What should I do if my tenant is paying well below market rent?
Start by establishing the realistic current rental value of the property. A large gap may need a considered approach rather than trying to correct it all at once.
How can I find out the rental value of my Wolverhampton property?
A rental appraisal should take account of the property’s location, size, type, condition and current tenant demand, rather than relying on a city-wide average.
