5 tips to attract good tenants
A shortage of rental properties doesn’t necessary mean that a tenant will be found quickly. Prospective tenants prefer properties that are tidy, clean and cared for. Giving the property a freshen up can really do a lot in attracting good tenants to your property and make it stand out for all the right reasons.
Try using some of these tips on your property next time it’s empty, you’d be surprised at how quickly it will be filled.
1. Light bulbs/shades
You can create a modern feel by changing old light bulbs and shades. White plastic shades are good for easy cleaning and they are also cheap to replace. This is also a good time to change the bulbs to energy efficient ones, which typically last longer than the standard ones.
Higher wattage bulbs are also good to use as they brighten rooms on dull days, including viewing days.
2. Paint high usage areas
Painting high usage areas such as cupboard doors, skirting boards and doors can be a quick and inexpensive way to freshen the overall appearance of the rooms.
Try using a natural colour like white as it looks clean and makes the rooms feel brighter.
3. Clean the bathroom
All bathrooms should have an extractor fan to prevent mould, but particularly damp bathrooms will need some work.
Scrubbing the walls with mould killer and clean any grout that has mould on it and replace if necessary. Replace the sealant around the bath and vanity, and change the shower curtain if it requires one. Give the toilet bowel, basin and shower a thorough clean as well as mirrors or replace if chipped or broken.
4. Carpet cleaning
Carpets can absorb all sorts of smells and stains from the previous tenants and can be a real nightmare to get rid of. If carpet cleaning hasn’t been written into the tenancy agreement for the previous tenant to take care of, one option that can help is using a Rug Doctor that you can normally hire from your local supermarket. This not only freshens up the look of the carpet, but it can make the place smell good too.
5. Make sure appliances are up to scratch
They say kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, well the same can be said for people looking at rental properties. To go with your already cleaned bathroom, making sure that all the cupboards and draws in the kitchen are clean and any greasy spills are taken care of. If your rental property includes white ware, it’s important to make sure they are clean and still working properly. The previous tenants should have cleaned out the fridge, but some don’t go as far as washing the shelves or defrosting the freezer. The oven is an appliance that nobody likes to clean, but it needs to be done to set a good impression, and set a level of expectation. If there is a dishwasher in the property, cleaning the filter and running it on a heavy-duty cycle with a dishwasher cleaner will remove any built-up grease and grime. While you’re at it, it’s also a good idea to run the washing machine on an empty cycle, just to give the inside a good clean to remove any dirt or lint left behind by the previous tenant.
At the end of most tenancies, the tenants should have given the property a thorough clean, some do and some don’t, but it’s the extra attention to detail that people pick up on when viewing a property. If a property is looked after by the landlord it shows to anyone looking at it that the landlords care about their investment and they know that if anything needs to be done that it most likely will be, which is what tenants want. These ideas are designed for landlords to do themselves in a day or over a weekend instead of paying someone to do them.