Poor internet connection leaves renters paying over the odds for mobile data fees

Many renters are paying the price for residential developers’ historic lack of investment in digital connectivity, new research shows.

WiredScore has launching a new report with the HomeOwners Alliance that exposes how renters, as well as homeowners, across the UK are paying in the region of £2.2bn on unnecessary mobile data fees annually to supplement poor internet at home.

Some 85% of renters and homeowners in this country still face connectivity issues and failing services, forcing them to use an additional 2.5GB of extra mobile data each month to compensate for their poor WiFi.

Dave Butler, chief executive of the UK Apartment Association, commented: “High quality digital connectivity is a critical requirement of the modern-day renter. As this report highlights, they are too often let down.

“Build-to-Rent landlords in particular have been setting out to fix this problem and provide a better service and superior experience.”

The report, ‘Poor Foundations: the state of UK residential connectivity’, claims that many property developers are now taking advantage of the poor state of residential connectivity with two-thirds reporting that they can rent their well-connected properties at a higher price and possibly with a greater yield.

Two-fifths - 40% - of developers have seen an increased in demand for their properties, while more than half - 56% - stating they can rent their properties for longer, due to the improved in-home experience.

This has lead to clear investments in full-fibre connections in new projects, with three-quarters of developers reporting at least some current projects will have fibre to the premise – which will boost the 6% of full fibre properties in the UK.

William Newton, president and EMEA MD at WiredScore, said: “Connectivity is critical to almost every aspect of our lives – social, leisure and working – with most adult internet users typically spending 24 hours online each week – almost double the time spent in 2007.

“The residential development community has long shouldered the important responsibility of maintaining and improving residential digital infrastructure in line with a rapid growth in consumer demand.

“Our research shows their renewed commitment to supporting 5G and full fibre connections, but it’s important that the right investments are made to assure an improved in-home experience. In addition, it’s also crucial that the residential market understands how to design and retrofit future-proofed properties, as well as communicate the investment to prospective homeowners or renters.”

Credit - Landlord Today