30% of private tenants deal only with their letting agent and have never met their landlord, new research conducted on behalf of mortgage and loan broker Ocean Finance has suggested.

In comparison, nearly a quarter of these respondents (24%) work primarily with the letting agent but have met their landlord, and 46% deal with the landlord directly on issues concerning their home.

Across the country, London renters were among the most likely to only work with a letting agent, along with residents in the North East (36% and 38% respectively). The capital is home to the highest percentage of renters in England and Wales at 50% of all households in the city.

Ocean Finance says renters may want to speak with their landlords directly if there is a problem with the property, rather than having to wait to go through the letting agent to reach them. They may also see good communication with their landlord as part of the service they are paying for. On average, private renters spend 40% of their income on their rent, compared to the 20% of a homeowner’s income that goes on their mortgage.

Respondents aged between 18 and 24 years old were the most likely to rent their home and the most likely to have not met their landlord. 38% of private renters in this age bracket revealed they only deal with a letting agent, compared to 15% of over-55s.

Ian Williams, spokesman for Ocean Finance, said: “It’s surprising that such a significant proportion of Brits who privately rent have never met their landlord.

“Being able to get in touch with the person who owns their property may provide additional peace of mind to renters that they know where to turn for a speedy response should there be a problem with their home.”