How to Furnish Your Rental Property
Should you furnish your rental apartment? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. However, offering your property furnished will also increase the rental value and possibly appeal to a broader range of renters. So if you’re looking for guidance on how to equip your flat, here we are, ready to give you some handy pointers.
Determine your budget
Furnishing your property doesn’t mean going out and buying the most expensive quality goods. Sure, you should include nice-looking items that are fit for purpose. But if you do some research, you can find nice items that go well with your rental without breaking the bank.
You will also need to consider the possibility of damage and wear & tear. Even with the best tenants in place, the furniture will succumb to wear and tear after long, sustained periods of use. So think about how long the furniture you buy might last. The UK government’s reform of the wear and tear allowance means that you can replace existing items and claim back the expenses too.
Think about your future tenants
Consider the neighbourhood in which your flat is located and what type of tenants this area usually attracts. If, for example, you live in a student area, including a desk in each bedroom is a logical decision. Being located closer to the city centre tends to attract younger, more mobile tenants who will appreciate the fact that they don’t need to worry about buying furniture for their new home.
Furnishing the living area
Sofas
Moving onto the size of the living room, you’ll want a couch that has a cosy feeling. If you’ve got the space, look into corner sofas – who doesn’t love to cuddle up in a corner while watching a film or reading a good book? A basic two-seater sofa, which is easy to keep clean, e.g. (faux) leather-covered or dark materials, will also do the trick. A living room should invite the tenants to relax and socialise.
Coffee table
Coffee tables are a simple addition which can change the feel of a room. A simple coffee table will suit most living rooms without costing a fortune. Neutral is the way to, using plain colours that aren’t too outlandish and compliment the rest of the room.
TV stand
A TV stand in the living room provides the basis for incoming tenants to imagine how they could fill their front-room space. If you’re buying a coffee table, why not check and see if there’s a matching or similar TV stand? If you have an awkward looking empty corner in your property’s living room, a TV stand is a clever way to fill it.
Furnishing the dining room
Dining tables and chairs
Does your rental property have a large living space where you could fit a sofa, as well as a dining table and chairs? How many people does your rental accommodate? If you’re thinking of buying a kitchen/dining table and chairs, consider the number of potential tenants when thinking of the item’s size. What works best in the apartment’s layout? A square or a round table? Perhaps there isn’t enough space for an additional table, and the kitchen counter could double up as a breakfast bar where you could place a few stylish stools.
Furnishing the bedroom
Bed frame and mattress
There are so many options when it comes to bed frames and mattress types, and the choice can often be overwhelming. If the space is available, having a king bed is considered to be a necessity by many tenants. However, a double is an option if the square foot means a king will be a tight fit. Also, think about the amount of storage space in each room. If you put a king-size or double bed in the room, but it only leaves enough space for a small wardrobe, consider an ottoman-style bed, which has drawers and storage facilities underneath. There are many metal or wood frame options, which are open underneath, therefore allowing tenants to place things like wheely storage boxes below.
Side tables
Just like with bed frames, there’s plenty of bedside table options to choose from.. If a bedside table fits a book, your phone, an alarm clock (if you own one!) and perhaps a night light, then you’re good to go.
Wardrobe
Do you go tall and wide with lots of space to hang clothes or something more narrow? Again, this really depends on the floor space in the bedroom. Bigger is always better, but if you can only fit a small wardrobe, it’s worth considering how else you can provide storage options. A chest of drawers, maybe?
Other furnishings
Other furnishings to think about include a shoe or coat stand in the hallway, perhaps a big mirror to make a room seem larger. You can add a few simple paintings to add a bit of colour to the flat.
Furnished flats offer a turnkey option, which appeals to a large pool of tenants. If you’ve got a one or two-bedroom property, we recommend furnishing it, as smaller homes usually hold a higher appeal when they’re offered furnished. For larger properties, it’s best to gauge the market. But a family moving into a three or four-bedroom house will likely want a blank canvas you can work with.
Whichever option you choose, why not get your life as a landlord off to the best possible start by listing your home on Mashroom ? Our lettings service is free (perhaps you can use those savings to furnish the property?) and millions of renters will see your property advertised on major portals like Rightmove and Zoopla.
