good tenant

How to Attract and Retain Good Tenants in Supported Housing

Supported Living| Supported and Social Housing
August 07, 2025•3 min read

Supported housing serves vulnerable individuals with specialised care and support needs. For investors and providers, attracting and retaining good tenants is vital—not just for stable occupancy, but also for delivering meaningful social impact. Here’s how to excel in both.

1. Tenant Engagement Is Key to Retention

Engaged residents stay—and satisfied tenants contribute to smoother, longer tenancies. In Scotland, 84.9% of supported housing tenants reported increased satisfaction when providers actively listened and acted on feedback (Portolio).
Similarly, data from Transform Housing & Support shows 85.8% satisfaction rates among tenants with respect in communication, safety, and responsiveness (Portolio).

Insight:
Implement regular structured feedback (e.g., STAR or TSM tools), act visibly on tenant input, and ensure respectful, trauma‑aware interactions in supported settings.

2. Effective Tenant Matching Reduces Issues

Supported living tenants vary in needs, abilities, and support requirements. A strong screening and matching process significantly reduces conflict, voids, and turnover.

Include:

  • Right-to-rent checks

  • References (previous providers)

  • Affordability assessment and guarantor checks

A coherent “match” model improves stability and care outcomes.

3. Prompt Maintenance & Safe Environments Matter

Neglected maintenance is a leading cause of dissatisfaction. Landlords of supported housing must ensure facilities are safe, clean, and compliant.

HouseMark's Tenant Satisfaction Measures highlight cleanliness, rapid repairs, and transparent service charges as top predictors of tenant loyalty (Portolio).
Regulatory shifts (like the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and Awaab’s Law) further stress timely responses to hazards such as damp and mould (Portolio).

4. Respect & Dignity Build Trust

Following the Grenfell tragedy, social housing regulators emphasise humane treatment and transparent policies. In supported housing, where residents may face complex life experiences, relationships built on dignity—free from paternalism—are essential (axxco.co.uk).

Provide:

  • Clear complaints channels

  • Informative guidance (instead of judgment)

  • Empathy-driven communication

5. Regulatory Clarity Supports Tenant Confidence

With new standards like those in the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, clarity around rights, repairs, and accountability has never been more critical.

Comply by:

  • Enforcing service-level agreements

  • Providing fast hazard responses

  • Maintaining transparent escalation and inspection processes

This not only prevents legal issues—it reinforces trust and retention.

6. Foster Community—so Tenants Want to Stay

Built or facilitated community can significantly improve quality of life—and reduce turnover.

Ideas that work:

  • Shared spaces (gardens, kitchens)

  • Welcome ceremonies, resident events

  • Community co-designed activities

Stable tenancy improves when residents feel respected and connected, not isolated.

✅ Final Thoughts

Retaining great tenants in supported housing requires more than occupancy—it takes investment in respect, care, and partnership. This means:

  • Strong tenant screening

  • Responsive maintenance

  • Transparent policies and dignity-guided relationships

  • Community-building and emotional engagement

Supported housing thrives when providers value tenant wellbeing as essential to stability and impact.

🧭 Need help structuring tenant-centric supported living projects?

SHPC Limited works with investors and providers to deliver sustainable schemes that comply, engage, and last—backed by long-term leases and ethical inclusion.

📩 [email protected]
📞 0118 989 9783
📱 Shannon Hoang: 079 4002 0670
🌐 www.shpropertyconsultancy.co.uk

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