Get your landlord’s property ready to be rented with these easy steps.
Buy-to-let properties are attractive for investors. Buying a property or letting out an existing home as a way to generate rent sounds like a win-win situation. However, in order to make the property perform at its best and to generate a healthy rental yield it is important that the property is ‘lettings proof’. As a real estate agent it is your job to advise your landlord how to get their property to perform at its optimum and to keep their tenants happy by following these quick steps.
1. Remove anything of any value.
Should the property have anything that is either valuable or holds sentimental value, then make sure that this is removed prior to the property going onto the market. Tenants may not appreciate the value of that items or realise it is irreplaceable. It is even best to remove it even before photographs are taken so that prospective tenants do not think that it forms part of the property.
2. Check the electrics.
It is good practice to make sure that all appliances are in good working order in the property and that the electrics are safe. This is a straightforward procedure and will also ensure the safety of the tenants. Advise your landlord to use the services of an electrician to do any checks before the tenants move in.
3. Make any general repairs.
It is wise to start off on a good footing with the tenant. Recommend to your landlord that either they or their managing agent ensure that everything in the property works. This also avoids the tenants producing a long list of repairs once they have moved in. Tighten any loose door handles, replace the grouting in the bathroom should be it be discoloured, and check that the kitchen cabinets close properly. Any small repairs like this take minutes and whilst the tenant may not notice, they will notice should anything not be working properly.
4. Choose suitable furniture.
Should your landlord be letting the property on a furnished basis, then furniture needs to be hard wearing, modern and suitable for the property. A four-seater sofa for a small studio won’t work nor will a single bed in a vast bedroom. Tenant’s looking for a furnished property may not choose a property due to the furniture provided. So advise your landlord of what is ‘on trend’ rather than just cobbling different styles together.
5. Compile a tenant handbook.
In order to make a tenant’s life easy (and to save them bothering your landlord), provide a tenant handbook of useful information relating to the property such as how to dispose of rubbish. Include manuals for the washing machine, air conditioning and any other appliances so that they can refer to this should that not be sure how to use them. Also include in the handbook contact details of the managing agent and emergency contact details should they need it. It is also useful to provide the details of the utilities companies for the tenants to set up accounts for payment, and the bank details for rent to be paid into.
6. Check the keys.
Ensure that there are working keys for the property and that your landlord or their managing agent has a spare set. Should the internal doors also have locks, make sure that these are provided too in case children accidentally lock themselves in a room. When the keys are handed over to the tenant it is recommended to get them to sign for them to save on any confusion of how many keys that have when they need to return them at the tenancy.
