The decisions you make when furnishing a rental property will likely be quite different to if you were decorating you own home. As well as considering the aesthetic appearance of what you are purchasing there’s the worry that your tenant may not look after it and that touch ups and replacements could be costly. So here are 5 tips for landlords who are looking at furnishing a property to let.
Avoid light coloured carpets
This may seem obvious but you’d be surprised at how many rental properties still come with light colored carpets. Light carpets are a recipe for rental disaster and no matter how clean, tidy and considerate your tenants are they are going to show wear in the common used areas and start to look dirty and worn much more quickly. If you can afford to opt for laminate floors in areas such as the kitchen and living room as these are the parts of the property that spillages are most likely to happen in. For the carpeted rooms, choose a short pile dark beige carpet which will be easy to clean and will help to mask general wear.
Use tiles with dark grouting
Dark grouting can disguise a multitude of sins and will look professional for longer saving you money re-grouting. White grouting in areas such as the bathroom will show up black mould and will need replacing more often to maintain a crisp appearance.
Buy durable furniture
There’s always the temptation to purchase cheap and cheerful furniture for your property but you’ll just find yourself replacing it more and spending more money in the long run. Find a durable sofa and invest in a sofa cover which can be easily washed or replaced. In terms of bedroom furniture there are in fact companies who specialise in beds and mattresses for landlords, these mattresses and frames are designed for long term wear, have a minimalistic style and won’t break the bank.
Opt for light walls
Whereas light carpets are no go, light walls are definite yes. You can pick up a dirt cheap bright white or cream paint from virtually any hardware store making it easy to touch up scuffs and scrapes. Light paint will also make every room look brighter and larger and is often preferred by tenants. If you use colour in your property do so with caution, if you don’t keep a spare reserve of your chosen colour you may find it difficult to find an exact colour match when repainting and risk having to repaint the entire wall. Also bear in mind that your personal decorative style may not be that of most tenants and it could turn people away.
Invest where it’s needed
Spending money in certain areas of your property such as in the kitchen and bathroom on their fittings will be worth it in the long run, especially when you consider the labour costs that fixing items in these areas often incurs. Invest where it’s needed and save where you can. Areas to invest in include, the kitchen and bathroom, flooring, door locks and mould prevention.
Image Credits: Hutomo Abrianto
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