Renters demand fast broadband as necessity, not luxury

One thing lockdown has taught me personally is the importance of good internet. My internet at home is appalling. I have been attempting to get fibre installed into my home for the past year but with no success.

The first and biggest hurdle was getting my landlord’s permission to get fibre installed. This came as a big shock to me as having fibre installed in his property adds huge value to his investment. Especially as the installation would cost nothing. I have heard stories of renters viewing high-end apartments and walking out when discovering how poor the internet speeds are.

People keep using the phrase, “the new normal” but what does that actually mean? To me it signifies the shift in corporate culture which is allowing people to work from home on a more frequent, if not permanent basis. Employers have realised that their employees can still be productive and get the job done while in their pyjamas on their couch. Yes, offices will begin to fill up again but for the most part I think working from home will continue to be a much more flexible option and something a lot of people will be looking for when moving into new jobs.

That being said, the challenge that comes with people working from a home office is ensuring that they have the tools necessary to perform their jobs effectively. The service that underpins all of a business’s tools is the broadband needed to access them. What use is the corporate Dropbox account if it takes a person an hour to upload a large document or if they are unable to use the camera during a video conference because the upload speed is terrible?

By having full fibre installed sooner rather than later, landlords can give themselves a competitive edge over other nearby buildings.

Research by Cluttons has shown that renters no longer consider fast broadband as a luxury and in some cases will demand a discount on rent if the speed is not up to their expectations.

Renters also consider broadband the third most important factor – after location and transport links – when deciding to move into a new home.

Full fibre is the future and it really is not a case of if landlords will be getting it installed but rather a matter of when. Like any new technology, there are those that see the long-term benefits and will make the switch at the first chance they get. On the other hand, there are those who will wait until there is no other option but to get it done – those who are of the opinion that if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Hopefully your landlord falls into the forward-thinking group and that you have not suffered through lockdown, as I have, with poor connectivity.

For anyone that would like to chat about getting true full fibre installed, you can get in touch with me at rob.meyer@clearfibre.uk. Also, be sure to follow ClearFibre on LinkedIn to keep up to date with how we are changing the broadband market with our innovative products and services.

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