Landlords Read On! Tips for Letting Out Your Property

One of the most frequent questions we get asked in our Property Management Department here at Pattinson Estate Agency, is what steps landlords need to take to get their property ready for let.

Whilst this is an open question with lots of potential answers based on the area the property is located, and the specific property in question, here are some key steps that landlords can take: 

• Properties should be neutral and well presented - neutral paint throughout with hard wearing darker carpets (think oatmeal or grey) makes properties easier to maintain and freshen up between tenancies. 
• Carpets and lino are preferred over laminate as they make the property feel warmer, help reduce noise for neighbours, age better and are easier and cheaper to replace. Laminate also buckles if water is spilled on it which cannot be repaired. 
• Properties should be immaculately clean, as a clean property demonstrates from the onset, how the property is maintained by the landlord. If a property is poorly presented, it may give the impression that the landlord is not conscientious and result in the tenant failing to take appropriate care of the property during the tenancy. A poorly presented property is also likely to be off-putting to good tenants when they view it. It is well worth paying for a professional deep clean between tenancies to start off on the best foot. 
• Unfurnished is best! The more a landlord leaves in the property, the more they are responsible for repairing or replacing if it breaks down. No beds, no sofas, no white or electrical goods should be left. The three C’s, that is, Carpets, curtains and cooker are the only items that should be present for the tenant. The overriding demand from tenants is for unfurnished properties. 
• Check for obvious health and safety issues - if there is internal glass, is it safety glass? If not, it needs to be replaced or safety film added. Is there rising damp or water ingress? If so, it needs to be rectified before a tenant can move in. Stair spindles with a gap larger than 10am also need to be addressed.
• Condensation and black spot mould is a common issue in rental properties. There are various things that landlords can do to help reduce condensation and black spot mould: Trickle vents in windows, powerful and long running extractor fans in bathroom and kitchens, plastic cladding in bathrooms (including the ceiling) and ensuring that there is sufficient heating in each room. A more expensive solution is a heated Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) which is a whole house air ventilation system that works by drawing in fresh, filtered air into a property from outside. However, this is expensive to install and generally only needed as a last resort when other solutions have not delivered. Our advice is to pre-empt the problems before they arise.  
• A good rule of thumb is, would you live there? If not, upgrades are required to bring the property up to standard. 
• Make sure you are up-to-date with the ever changing and evolving Landlord laws and legislation.
• Have the gas safety certificates, and fixed wiring tests carried out well in advance of the tenant moving in, to prevent any delays if remedial work is required. 

Finally, speak to us at Pattinson Estate Agency where we will not only find you a great tenant, but can also manage the property for you!