TrustMark has formed a partnership with Endsleigh - an independent intermediary providing insurance and financial products - to improve access for landlords looking for expert tradespeople to carry out improvements and repairs on their rental properties.

The initiative will also boost access for TrustMark-registered plumbers and heating installers to the home repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) market in the private rented sector.

Endsleigh surveyed almost 1,500 landlords and found it is not uncommon for a landlord to spend up to £1,000 in repair and maintenance in a year. Landlords without letting agents were more than twice as likely to pay more for big jobs costing between £1,000 and £2,000.

"It can be difficult to juggle everyday life while also managing a rental property," said Marcus Latchford, Endsleigh's lettings and landlords manager. "Our research showed us that landlords can end up paying out substantially more than they need to for the maintenance and upkeep of their property if it’s not managed effectively. Endsleigh has been supporting landlords and tenants for 25 years and our partnership with TrustMark is a great example of how we continually grow our commitment."

The new partnership will encourage Endsleigh’s landlord and letting agent customers to use TrustMark’s 14,500 registered firms, giving them greater confidence that the work will be carried out by high quality trusted professionals working to government-endorsed standards. 

Mr Latchford continued: "Not only can we offer landlords the chance to reduce their risk through thorough tenant referencing checks to ensure their potential tenants are suitable, or by offering insurance for events unique to landlords, but we can now recommend the TrustMark brand to all landlords to raise awareness of using trusted and reliable tradesmen to ensure that they and their tenants are protected."

Chairman of TrustMark Liz Male commented: "Landlords need our support. People find themselves acting as landlords for a number of reasons nowadays – whether through inheritance or as an investment – and they often go into it without a clear understanding of the regular maintenance and upkeeprental properties need. 

"We hope that more landlords will now recognise the importance of using quality and reputable firms to help protect their most valuable assets. TrustMark is a national quality badge that tradespeople can show to landlords, proving that they have been properly assessed and inspected and will work to government-endorsed standards."