In the rental market first impressions really do count when it comes to letting your property. Use our pre-letting checklist for landlords to make sure your property is ready to rent – and ready to achieve the best yields possible for the property.
Many landlords plough all of their resources into their property’s interior and completely ignore the importance of the exterior. While it’s true that the bulk of your time should be spent on the inside, you should always consider the importance of the outside too!
Approach
People usually form their first impression within 20 seconds of arriving at a property. If the outside is a little shabby and untidy then in some cases, this could be a reflection of the inside. The front of a property is a good place to spend a little extra time and money. If the property has a front garden, make sure it is free of litter, neat and presentable.
Exterior
The front elevation is important as people often drive past the property first before deciding to view. Peeling paint on your property’s exterior isn’t very appealing, so a fresh coat of paint will do wonders. In some cases it may be difficult to work on the exterior of your property, if it’s in a block for example. Even so, first impressions still count, so the front door and hallway should be the main focus for these types of property.
Interior
Tenants are looking for somewhere that they can imagine just moving into and setting up home, so any hint of extra work on their part will put them off straight away. There is no doubt that an immaculately decorated and fitted property will let faster and for more money than one that isn’t. If only one room is redecorated and not the rest of the house this can look odd. That said, some rooms, like kitchens and bathrooms are more important to tenants than others.
Equally if there are obvious faults that can be readily put right it is worth making sure these are attended to. You want all prospective Tenants to see a neat, clean, well-lit interior.
Get clutter out of sight, ensure the carpets are clean and floors are scrubbed. Make sure all your lights work and replace light bulbs if need be.
Tidiness/Cleanliness
You want the property to look spacious, bright and fresh to entice tenants. Make sure that your property is professionally cleaned or cleaned to a professional standard prior to the start of the tenancy. If you are residing at the property prior to letting or if tenants are still in situ for viewings, ensure that the property is as tidy as possible to get give the best impression.
Tenant Information Pack
Put together a folder – including operating manuals, service records and guarantees for the central heating and appliances you are leaving, together with other information you feel will be useful for your tenant e.g. refuse collection days, details of a local window cleaner, etc.
Keep on top of it
Once you have upgraded or improved your property, keeping costs down is a long-term job. The more regularly you are able to address small issues, the less you will need to spend on an overhaul after each tenancy. A little can go a long way to help ensure you achieve and maintain the best possible rental price for your property.