Preparing a house for rental

Are you looking to rent out a property in London?

Preparing a house for rental is vital before letting your property. You want to ensure it is ready to rent. First impressions are really important for both your marketing and tenant viewings.

Starting early is advised and with the great summer weather and staycations, this summer couldn’t be a better time.

We’ve come up with a list of helpful tips to get you prepared:

• Repairs and refurbishments
  

While taking a look around your property, are there rooms or aspects of the rooms that could do with sprucing up? Or has there been a list of DIY jobs that you have been meaning to get done? Any broken handles or prominent structural defects should be sorted out before letting.

• Take a look at the walls
  

Are there marks or scratches on the walls? Giving them a fresh lick of paint will really brighten and freshen up a room.

• Check appliances
  

Before letting a property, it’s always a good idea to double-check all the appliances and that they are in working order. Even simply checking if they switch on is a good place to start!

Electrical Installation Condition Reports’ (EICR) are now compulsory and this will be conducted by a qualified electrical engineer at an interval of at least 5 years. A copy of the report is to be supplied to the tenants.

• Evaluate furnishings
  

If you are planning on letting a fully furnished property, examine and evaluate the condition of the furniture. You want to make sure they are in an acceptable condition. If not, consider replacing or repairing.

• Safety first
  

It is part of your due diligence to make sure the living space is safe. From loose hanging furnishings to screws sticking out, you want to sort these out before they cause any harm to anyone.

• Be mindful of odours
  

You don’t want to put off prospective tenants with unwanted smells. Open windows to let fresh air in and if needed use products to help fragrance your home. Smells and odours can linger on carpets and furniture so getting these properly cleaned is advised.

• Give it a deep clean
  

Cleaning your whole property is really important, no one wants to move into a dirty home. That includes a thorough oven clean, the skirting boards and the tops of cupboards.

If you don’t have the time or want to do the cleaning yourself, arrange professional cleaners who are experts to carry out the task.

While you’re preparing your house for rental, consider if you have a certain type of tenant in mind and make the property desirable for them.

We hope these points will help you get started and keep you on track for preparing your home whether it’s your first time or you haven’t let a property in a while.

Are you looking to let in London? At Cow & Co we cover the whole of London and have the experience to make your let successful. Get a free property valuation to learn the current rental value for your property.

If you want to discuss any more tips or have any questions about letting in London, get in touch with our friendly team.