Britons want to live with Cheryl Cole!
She may have been keeping a low profile for a while but Cheryl Cole has topped a recent poll of UK tenants, who said they’d like to share a pad with her.
The Deposit Protection Service (The DPS) asked 1000 tenants who their ideal celebrity roommate would be and Cheryl Cole was the clear winner with 8% of the votes, pipping Johnny Depp (4%), David Beckham (3%) and Lady Gaga (3%) to the post.
Singers and bands were the nation’s most sought after companions with nearly a third of you wishing you could share washing up duties with the likes of Robbie Williams, Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg.
The savviest tenants wanted those who would be best around the house, like Kim and Aggie to run the duster round and Jamie Oliver to whip up some tasty meals.
There were some much loved TV and film characters in the running as well, including Eastenders’ Dot Cotton, action stars James Bond and Mr T and funny-man Keith Lemon.
Kevin Firth, director of The DPS said: “It’s certainly made for interesting reading. The usual suspects are there, but there are also some more bizarre choices!”
“There’s a serious message here too: how well do you know the people you’re moving in with? Even if you think you know your fellow roommates, living with them may be very different. You’ll be responsible for paying a deposit which you’ll only get back by complying with your signed tenancy agreement and leaving the property in the same state it was when you moved in (subject to usual wear and tear) – so the return of your money depends on the reliability of others.”
“If you don’t know who you’re moving in with, get to know them a little beforehand; the people you live with can be more important than the property and you wouldn’t rent a place without going to see it first.”
Kevin added: “It’s vital for landlords to know their prospective tenants too. I’ve read several stories lately about a growing trend for rent arrears and the impact it’s having on landlords. Cheryl Cole is unlikely to have any trouble affording rent but make sure you undertake the necessary financial checks so you can be confident your prospective tenant(s) can afford the payments.”
And finally, Johnny Vegas and Robocop were amongst the most bizarre choices on the survey list!
The DPS is the only government approved custodial deposit protection scheme. They currently protect 750,000 tenants’ deposits on behalf of 250,000 landlords and 20,000 letting agents.