Finding the best furniture for your rental property

As a landlord choosing the best furniture for your rental property is one of the key factors to making your rental a success. In this blog, we look at the main ways you can make your rental property attractive, durable and easy to maintain.

The do’s and don’ts for picking the best furniture for your rental property

Do

• Install a good quality kitchen and bathroom that’s easy to clean
• Provide enough lighting
• Choose furniture and flooring that will stand up to wear and tear.

The kitchen and bathroom are the two spaces that will get the most use, so it is important to focus on these when choosing the best furniture for your rental property.

Whether you’re installing new fixtures and fittings or renovating an existing property for rental, investing in quality will serve you and your tenants best in the long run. For more in-depth information and costings check out our kitchen renovation and bathroom remodel cost guides.

No one wants to live in a house that’s gloomy. To keep your rental property looking bright and inviting, make sure you have enough socket-outlets for lamps, or consider investing in downlights.

If you need to add additional sockets then this is a simple job for a local electrician.

Don’t

• Include family heirlooms, antiques or sentimental items
• Struggle on with old doors and windows
• Dismiss including second-hand furniture

To avoid complaints from tenants, make sure that doors and windows are in good working order. An internal door could cost you as little as £60 to replace. By ensuring your window seals, lock and glazing are in the best condition you not only provide peace of mind but can also keep your energy bills lower.

When it comes to providing the best furniture for your rental property, you can’t overlook soft furnishings and staple pieces such as tables and chairs. Most tenants will expect these items to be in situ for the start of their tenancy agreement but some may choose to bring their own.

If you are providing these pieces of furniture, it can be tempting to choose inexpensive pieces but as the old saying goes, “if you buy cheap, you buy twice”. If your budget is really tight then it can be worth hunting for decent second-hand pieces and getting this furniture refurbished.

Alternatively, if your rental property is a longer-term investment that you plan to keep in your family, you could also consider bespoke carpentry for furniture that is unique to your rental.

Ultimately the best furniture for your rental property is the kind that you can afford to maintain.

Most durable flooring for a rental property

Carpet is definitely the most common flooring found in rental property’s but it is not the most hardwearing. With this in mind, if you’re looking for the most durable home flooring then it is wise to avoid carpet in high traffic areas such as hallways and the living and dining room.

As alternatives you could consider:

• Laminate flooring
• Vinyl flooring
• Engineered hardwood

Laminate flooring is cost-effective and incredibly versatile, as well as being easy to clean, which makes it a great option for durable flooring for a rental property. Take a look at our laminate flooring cost guide for more information.

Similarly, vinyl flooring is also very affordable, as well as being water-resistant. This makes vinyl flooring a great option for kitchens and bathrooms where laminate flooring is not recommended. Vinyl comes in a huge range of designs and it is easy to maintain and clean, making it one of the most durable home flooring options. Get an idea of costs with our vinyl floor cost guide – if you like vinyl but you would quite like an even stronger option, luxury vinyl is another great option!

Engineered hardwood is the most durable flooring for a rental property but it does come at a cost. Unlike a traditional hardwood floor, engineered hardwood consists of several layers of plywood or fibreboard with a very thin layer of hardwood veneer on the top.

These layers make engineered hardwood a lot more stable than full hardwood floors as it reduces problems associated with moisture, warping and swelling that come with a traditional hardwood floor.

For the best advice and guidance for the most durable home flooring for your rental property, consult with a flooring expert who can provide you with quotes for all the suitable options.

How to keep rental property maintenance manageable

Whichever fixtures and fittings you choose, there is no getting away from the fact that as a landlord there will always be things to maintain. To keep rental property maintenance manageable we recommend:

Keep up with routine checks – Ask your tenants how things are, don’t wait for them to complain or raise issues. Book in regular visits with your tenants to check that everything is in order.

Choose quality fittings – Keeping costs down is important but consider the lifespan of your furniture and fittings and invest in longevity.

Budget for repairs – Set aside a portion of the rental income for repairs and upgrades, or cleaning between tenants.

Garden maintenance – If you have a garden space, set out in your rental agreement who will maintain the area.Usually tenants maintain a garden, but as the landlord you need to provide the tools for them to do so, e.g. a lawnmower. If you are very particular about your garden then you might want to opt for hiring a gardener.

FAQs for choosing the best furniture for a rental property

What does a landlord have to provide in a furnished flat?

As a bare minimum, a landlord needs to provide a place to do laundry, food preparation, and food storage. Typically in a furnished rental property you would expect to find:

• 4-ring hob with oven and grill.
• Cooker hood or extractor fan.
• Fridge and freezer, or a fridge-freezer.
• Microwave oven.
• Suitable and adequate kitchen cupboards for storing food.
• Sink with mains water supply of cold potable water, piped supply of hot water and draining area.

Most furnished apartments include a couch, coffee and end tables, a dining room table and chairs, beds, and basic kitchen appliances. Some (but not all) may include some extras like floor or table lamps, a toaster, a microwave, and basic cookware.

Who is responsible for the maintenance of a rental property?

A landlord has to do anything that is set out in the tenancy agreement. Landlords are also generally responsible for keeping in repair:

• The structure and exterior of the property including the walls, roof, foundations, drains, guttering, external pipes, windows and external doors.
• Basins, sinks, baths, toilets and their pipework.
• Water and gas pipes, electrical wiring, water tanks, boilers, radiators, gas fires, fitted electric fires or fitted heaters.

These repair responsibilities can’t be removed or overwritten by clauses in a tenancy agreement. Landlord’s are also not permitted to pass on the cost of any repair work to tenants