Helping landlords comply: what behavioural research tells us
Earlier this year, TDS launched new research into what drives unintentional non-compliance among landlords and how better support could help them keep pace with changing private rented sector rules.
Funded by the Nationwide Foundation and underpinned by behavioural science, the research examines why landlords who want to comply can still be held back by complex rules, unclear guidance or practical barriers.
This blog takes a closer look at the findings – who is most likely to face compliance challenges, why gaps arise and what they mean for designing clearer, timelier and more effective support. It also shows how the research is shaping national policy and being tested with landlords in Greater Manchester to find out what works in practice.
Who is most likely to face compliance challenges?
Initial research, commissioned by TDS and carried out by Social Change, shows that some landlords are more exposed to the circumstances linked with unintentional non-compliance. These include time constraints, information gaps and a reliance on informal processes.
Groups more likely to encounter these pressures include:
Landlords with small portfolios: 45% of landlords have one property and 38% have between two and four.
Those managing properties alongside other work: 41% of landlords have a full-time job and 6% work part-time.
Those who became landlords through inheritance or other life events: around one in five landlords entered the sector this way.
Self-managing landlords: particularly those without structured systems or processes.
These findings do not suggest that small-scale or part-time landlords provide a poorer service. Many offer good-quality homes and value positive relationships with tenants. The issue is that they may be navigating increasingly complex regulation without the specialist knowledge, dedicated systems or organisational support available to larger businesses.
Why compliance barriers arise
The research identifies four interconnected behavioural patterns that can turn good intentions into compliance gaps:
Overconfidence: landlords often rely on experience – and the absence of previous problems – as evidence that they are compliant, allowing gaps to go unnoticed.
Over-reliance on others: delegating tasks to letting agents or trusted peers can blur responsibility, even though accountability remains with the landlord.
Cognitive overload: dense, jargon-heavy or difficult-to-navigate guidance makes it harder to turn information into action.
Present bias: when priorities compete, landlords may focus on urgent tasks and defer compliance until an issue arises.
What support could improve compliance?
Compliance is more likely when support is easy to understand, arrives at the right moment and helps landlords turn intention into action.
The research identifies several principles for designing more effective support, including:
Make guidance clear and practical: translate complex and changing requirements into accessible, jargon-free steps that landlords can apply in practice.
Prompt action at key moments: provide timely, relevant reminders when landlords are most likely to act, such as at the start of a tenancy or before certificates and licences expire.
Reduce reliance on memory: use checklists, tailored reminders and compliance tools to help landlords track responsibilities and plan ahead.
Communicate supportively: use non-judgemental language that recognises landlords’ desire to provide good-quality homes while making expectations and next steps clear.
From research to real-world impact
The next phase of Better Renting Greater Manchester will test these approaches with landlords, building real-world evidence about what helps people comply in practice.
The work is already contributing to the national policy debate. The concept of “unintentional non-compliance”, used in our evidence to the HCLG Select Committee, featured prominently in its recommendations to the Government on improving conditions in the private rented sector.
We will also share the findings as the next phase of the Renters’ Rights Act is implemented, including practical ideas for using the PRS database as a compliance tool and for supporting the introduction of Awaab’s Law.
Unintentional non-compliance is a significant but often overlooked challenge in the private rented sector. By making it easier for landlords who are willing to comply to take the right action, policymakers and sector practitioners can improve outcomes for tenants, use enforcement resources more efficiently and support more consistent standards across the sector.
Find out more: read the full research briefing.
About TDS
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme is part of The Dispute Service (TDS), the largest tenancy deposit protection and resolution service provider in the UK making life easier for tens of thousands of agents, landlords, developers, and millions of tenants and homebuyers. Our award-winning customer service is highly rated on both Trustpilot and Google, and we’re backed by the NRLA. We offer free deposit protection in our Custodial scheme, and the lowest rates for landlords in our Insured scheme.
The views expressed in this content are solely those of the author alone and do not necessarily represent the views of TDS, its officers, or employees.
