A strong majority of tenants admit that they have broken tenancy rules in at least one significant way.

A study for interiors firm Hillarys asked 2,399 tenants aged 21 and over and 67 per cent confessed to breaking rules.

– some 39 per cent had a pet when this was explicitly banned;

– 28 per cent admitted causing interior damage;

– 26 per cent said they smoked inside when this was forbidden;

– and 17 per cent admitted sub-letting their property.

When asked if their agent or landlord had any suspicions or asked them directly if they were breaking their tenancy agreement, 35 per cent stated ‘yes’. 

Some 51 per cent confessed that they had lied to their agent or landlord while 28 per cent stated that they ‘bent the truth’ – only 21 per cent confessed outright that they had broken their tenancy agreement.