A few decades ago when home owners would budget for their bills, the main expenses they thought about were gas, electricity, water, telephone and rent/mortgage. Today we’ve added television channel packages and internet access to the list. Nowadays it’s surprising if a person does not have internet access in their own home. It is a highly useful tool and resource that connects the world in a matter of seconds.
Internet at Home
For landlords that choose to include bills in their tenants rent, internet is a feature expected by many and can be seen as a deal breaker if not provided. So landlords need to ensure they find a suitable internet service provider (ISP) that has prices they can meet and quality that can’t be beat. For those who prefer to let their tenants deal with the bills, having landlord insurance in place will provide protection from any unpaid bills that are not their responsibility.
Broadband speeds vary, but a majority of internet users require the fastest speeds possible in order to get the most use out of the internet (E.g. downloading files, watching TV and playing games). Consumers should be aware that the speed advertised by ISP is the maximum potentially available, not a guarantee. Other factors can influence broadband speed such as your proximity to the source of the internet connection, the quality of the cabling, the power of the computers used and the amount of traffic from other internet users around the world.
Fastest Broadband Speed Locations
For those who want to expand their property portfolios, having a place with generally poor internet connections can put off a lot of people from staying long term. So knowing what areas generally have good connections can help to attract tenants who are heavily reliant on good internet access.
uSwitch is an impartial comparison website that monitors broadband speeds, amongst other things. Using their data, in the last 30 days the following cities have been identified as having the fastest average speeds. (The Guardian conducted a similar survey and uSwitch’s current top 10 includes the same regions the Guardian identified as having, or being near to, the fastest connections.)
Fastest UK Cities
1. Sunderland
2. Newcastle
3. Derby
4. Belfast
5. Leicester
6. Nottingham
7. Slough
8. Watford
9. Milton Keynes
10. Stockport