Montana Renters Say They Have the 2nd Worst-Rated Landlords

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - A new ranking has revealed which states have the best and worst landlords, according to tenant reviews. The findings come from moving resource site moveBuddha, and follow an analysis of renter reviews submitted to Rate The Landlord, which anonymously scores proprietors across five key categories: health and safety, respect, tenant privacy, repair, and rental stability.

The ranking calculates each state's average score and review count and scales this against local populations to identify where the most complaints come from. According to the study, tenants in Maine are more likely to experience issues with their rental property than anywhere in the US.

Montana Has the 2nd Worst-Rated Landlords

It turns out tenants in Montana have the second-worst landlords, with an average score of 2.2 out of five. Their most common complaint was health and safety concerns, including bedbugs, unsanitary rooms, and a lack of hot water during winter.

Montana renters also voiced their concerns about rental stability, which relates to the predictability and security of lease agreements that provide legal protections for tenants. However, in Montana, several renters were threatened with sudden eviction or costly rent increases.

My Renting History in Missoula

As someone who has rented in Missoula for the past 12 years, I have not experienced these types of issues. I’ve been a tenant at four different locations. During my first summer in college, I rented a four-bedroom house with three friends and our rent never increased in the almost six years that I was there. Then I rented a two-bedroom apartment from the same landlord for about two years and again, he never raised rent.

Then I rented a three-bedroom townhouse with a friend through a property manager and our rent was only slightly raised a few times while we were there. Now I am living in a one-bedroom apartment by myself and even though I am paying more than I ever have for housing, it is still affordable for me even after my most recent increase.

I am not saying this study is wrong, but apparently, I’ve had it pretty good compared to others. I’ll consider myself lucky... for now.

Ten States With the Worst-Rated Landlords