UK LANDLORDS think the perfect tenants are couples with no children, according to new research.

Childless couples are top of the list for 29 per cent of landlords, the study Intus Lettings found.

Students ranked the lowest out of all potential tenant groups. A whopping 99 per cent said students would not be their ideal tenant.

The second most sought after tenant is a single young professional, with a quarter of landlords favouring this category, followed by families, which only one in five landlords prefer.

“It’s likely that landlords opted for couples with no dependants due to the stability that it provides,” said Hope McKendrick, lettings manager at Intus Lettings.

“They understand that finding the right tenant can save them time, money and stress in the long term and with the number of people renting continuing to grow, they want to be reassured that those living in their properties are reliable.”

The survey also revealed what landlords consider to be the most important aspect during the vetting process. Almost 405 of respondents agreed that references are most important. Age and marital status are the least important. As the survey results prove, negative experiences with previous landlords or poor references from your employer can impact where you end up living in the future,” added Ms McKenna.”

“Landlords have more choice as more and more people enter the private rented sector, so getting through vetting without glitches and making a positive impression is more crucial than ever.”