More tenants prefer the experience of dealing with landlords directly than going through letting agents or companies, a tenant poll conducted by Pegasus Insights has found. Some 70% of tenants who rent from an individual landlord describe their recent rental experience as ‘positive’, compared with just 60% of those renting through a letting agent. Smaller, individual landlords are an essential part of the rental market and consistently deliver some of the best outcomes for tenants. “As ministers continue to reform the private rented sector, it’s vital they recognise the positive role of responsible landlords, as well as the importance of trust-based relationships between tenants and landlords. This compares to 73% of tenants who rent from a build-to-rent company and 68% of those renting through a letting agent.