Whether you are an experienced or first time landlord, preparing a property for let requires a lot of time and effort. Tenants expect the property to be redecorated and ready to move in to without any damage as a result of previous tenants or owners.
As the property isn’t there’s, and therefore can only make limited redecoration once their tenancy starts, it is not unreasonable for the tenant to expect the property to be in perfect condition. In order to prepare the property, as the landlord you should conduct a thorough review of the property and attend to any issues before placing the property on the market.
Structure of the Property
Before all else, the structure of the property should be reviewed before allowing a tenant to move in. A property survey is a small expense when you consider how costly it could be should anything happen as a result of a defect in the property’s structure.
Plastered Finish
If possible, return your property to a plain plastered finish. A neutral will appeal more to prospective tenants, as opposed to strong and dominant shades that could turn people away. A plastered finish will also make redecorating the property between tenancies far easier, rather than stripping away old, deteriorating wallpaper. A fresh lick of paint will freshen up the walls and the property as a whole.
Service the Heating
Get an engineer out to assess the heating system and ask how old it is. You may find that the system requires renewing in order to avoid constant issues, which is not something that your tenants will want. Imagine that your tenants have a small baby in the property and the heating keeps on cutting out – continuously calling on the landlord or estate agent (depending on whether you are self-managing the agreement or not) will only frustrate the tenant.
Ensure Fixings are Solid
Making sure that any fixings are solid on the wall is an absolute must, but is something that many landlords overlook. Not all tenants will look after your property as well as you would like them to and, if anything is loose before the start of the tenancy, you can be sure that they will not remain in place come the end of it.
Getting the best Price
If you are unsure of how much you could charge for rent, invite a number of estate agents in to value the property. It is always best to seek out at least three valuations in order to get a good ballpark figure that you can ask for. Equally, you can look to have your property listed on LetsBid that will see prospective tenants bid on the price of rent, leaving you to pick the best offer.
Hardwearing Floors
Where possible, opt for hardwearing flooring instead of carpet. You might prefer carpet yourself, but flooring such as tiling or wood is far more durable and longstanding. If the tenant prefers to have carpet installed in the property once they have moved in, let them know that this will be at their expense and are responsible for its upkeep.
Don’t Stress About Furnishing
You do not have to worry about supplying furniture and appliances as a landlord, as most tenants will be happy to save a bit of money by moving into an unfurnished property, especially if they already own their own furniture. By letting an unfurnished property, you don’t have to worry about replacing any damaged furniture.