An online tenant survey is a time- and cost-efficient way to measure tenant satisfaction, both with the housing situation and with the services of the housing company. With a tenant satisfaction survey, companies in the housing sector obtain a sound data basis for optimisation processes while improving their chances of strengthening tenant loyalty. Here we give an overview of tenant surveys, explaining their advantages and the contents of our questionnaire template.
Table of Contents
What is a tenant survey?
A tenant survey is part of quality assurance in the housing sector, with the aim of measuring tenants’ housing satisfaction, that is, tenant satisfaction. The central elements of a tenant survey are usually questions about satisfaction with the housing situation and with the service of the relevant housing association, housing cooperative or private housing company. With a tenant survey, companies in the housing sector obtain valuable feedback from their customers, which forms the basis for improvement measures.
Tenant survey: measuring housing satisfaction online
In the highly competitive property sector, a tenant survey is advisable for companies in the housing sector, because once opinions and assessments of the residential environment are available, and tenants’ housing satisfaction has thus been measured, measures can be derived and implemented on this basis to make the residential environment or the flats themselves even more attractive for current and potential new tenants.
How do you like your current flat? How satisfied are you with the wider residential environment? Alongside these questions about housing satisfaction, a tenant survey usually also includes questions about satisfaction with the housing company’s service, for example the tenant service provided through the tenant hotline, its availability or the options for arranging appointments.
With LamaPoll, tenant satisfaction surveys can be easily created, conducted and analysed in the company’s corporate design. Housing satisfaction across several districts, with different questions on the subject, can easily be measured in a single survey – there is no need to run a separate tenant survey for each residential district. Image-choice questions that present the residential environments attractively, together with further design options, ensure an appealing appearance of the questionnaire that encourages tenants to share information about their housing satisfaction.
Feel free to use our “Tenant survey” questionnaire template as a guide; you can copy it into your LamaPoll account free of charge via “Use” and adapt it there where necessary:
Tenant surveys as part of ESG
Tenant surveys are often conducted as part of a company’s ESG strategy and sustainability objectives. ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance — three factors used to assess corporate activity. For companies in the housing and property sector, taking these three ESG factors into account is becoming increasingly important. Integrating them into business activities considerably increases the likelihood of success.
Tenant surveys play an important role in the social pillar. Conducting them as online surveys with LamaPoll is particularly cost-effective and time-efficient.
ESG in the housing and property sector
ESG entails requirements for companies and corporate governance to act sustainably in the areas of environmental impact, social responsibility and governance. Key parts of the European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation ((EU) 2019/2088; SFDR) have applied since 10 March 2021. For the first time, it established legally defined, binding ESG criteria for funds and companies wishing to present themselves as ESG-compliant. What does ESG mean for the housing sector across these three areas?
Environmental
The central aspect of the environmental category is the general prevention and reduction of pollution and environmental hazards. This includes:
- environmentally friendly, energy-efficient building management and climate-neutral buildings
- the general use of resource-efficient building materials
- sustainable wastewater disposal
- optimising energy consumption and insulating properties
- properties with green spaces
Social
The social category covers all efforts by housing companies to ensure that residents are satisfied with the housing they provide. Tenant satisfaction can be measured quickly and easily with an online tenant survey. Based on the findings, improvement measures can then be planned and implemented to increase tenant satisfaction where necessary. The social category also focuses on the social impact of housing products, including:
- creating social housing or accommodation that enables different groups of people to live together
- developing municipal infrastructure
- planning and implementing housing concepts for older people or people with disabilities, including accessible housing
An online needs assessment with LamaPoll can help when planning and implementing suitable forms of housing for older people. Read more and use our ‘Housing needs assessment for older people’ template as a guide: needs assessment
Governance
In the area of governance, ESG compliance entails ethically responsible, transparent conduct. This includes targeted action against corruption and commitment to equal opportunities and diversity in the workforce. Sustainable corporate governance is also reflected in cooperation with business partners, particularly those that likewise operate in accordance with ESG guidelines. Service providers and suppliers play a role in the property and housing sector. Suppliers often undergo a suitability assessment in the form of a supplier self-disclosure questionnaire that covers aspects such as quality assurance.
A supplier self-disclosure questionnaire can be created and conducted as an online survey with LamaPoll with little effort. More information and a corresponding survey template for free use can be found here: supplier self-disclosure questionnaire.
What are the advantages of an online tenant survey?
The primary advantage of an online tenant survey is that it provides reliable data for decisions about change processes, for example concerning the facilities of the flats or adapting the residential environment to identified needs. Another important advantage is increased tenant satisfaction and loyalty towards the housing company. Tenants who are asked about their satisfaction and feel that their opinion matters and that the company genuinely cares are more likely to share this positive impression and recommend the housing company. Online tenant surveys are also a time-efficient and cost-effective survey method, which is a major advantage for organisations operating in the fast-moving rental market. They can be conducted regardless of time and location and incur no printing or postage costs when measuring tenants’ satisfaction with their housing situation.
Three advantages of online tenant surveys at a glance:
- Obtain a sound data basis for improving housing conditions and the services provided by the housing company
- Increase tenant satisfaction and thereby strengthen tenant loyalty
- Conduct surveys efficiently in terms of time and cost
To measure tenant satisfaction with the housing company’s services and customer service, we recommend our customer service questionnaire template: Customer support feedback
Tenant surveys are, by their nature, customer surveys. We have compiled a page of tips and guidance for this category: Customer surveys: tips and advice.
A special type of tenant survey: the prospective tenant self-disclosure form
A prospective tenant self-disclosure form is a special case in the context of tenant surveys. Unlike a tenant satisfaction survey, it is used to obtain information from prospective tenants before a tenancy agreement is concluded, generally through an online form. Private landlords, housing companies and estate agents often request this information to identify suitable applicants for a property from among the many interested parties, much like an application process in the labour market.
The questions concern the prospective tenant’s financial, personal and family circumstances. Landlords’ right to ask questions is limited, however: only questions that are genuinely relevant to the tenancy are permitted. A prospective tenant self-disclosure form is generally an online form. It can be created in LamaPoll in just a few clicks and embedded on the company website, allowing prospective tenants to download it online and bring the completed, signed form to the agreed viewing appointment.
Feel free to use our prospective tenant self-disclosure form template as a guide; we provide it free of charge. Select “Use” to copy the template to your LamaPoll account and customise it there.
