Furnished or Unfurnished?
A common question asked by Landlords when purchasing a Buy to Let property is whether they should furnish it or not. Below we look at the case for both.
Unfurnished
Letting an unfurnished property is obviously easier for you, as you don’t have the expense or hassle of having to research and purchase suitable furniture.
It also means that during the tenancies you don’t need to worry about the renewal of any furniture which has perhaps been damaged or is past it’s life span.
In our experience, tenants whom rent unfurnished properties tend to stay longer as having their own furnishings around them can make the property feel more like their home.
We would recommend that where possible, white goods are provided, together with curtains and/or blinds and light fittings.
Furnished
There is certainly a market for furnished properties, particularly for the younger tenant making the first step out on their own and for the professional worker whom uses the property for week day living.
The furniture provided needs to meet a variety of tastes, be modern and hard wearing.
You must also bear in mind that any furniture you provide must meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988. Therefore, it is best to avoid purchasing any second-hand items.
You must be open to replacing mattresses, crockery and small electrical items from time to time and incur the cost of Portable Appliance Testing.
As there isn’t a definitive definition of what “furnished” comprises, the tenants will at least expect bedroom and lounge furniture plus white goods.
In order to decide which option is best, it is worth taking advice from your Letting Agent whom will base their advice on the current market demands.
