Article courtesy of Appleton Letting Agents Reading
For probably the best sales, lettings and property management services around Windsor, Maidenhead, Reading, Marlow, Cookham and Twyford, please contact Appleton-Estates.comUNFURNISED OR FURNISHED?
At Appleton-Estates.com, we get asked this question a lot, and there is no right or wrong answer. Safety is now an import question and as agent we must ensure your soft furnishings meet with current standards. The Regulations are explained later.
You now get the same legal protection when your property is furnished or unfurnished. Furnished properties used to get higher rents but in today there is not much difference, though smaller properties are often let more quickly when furnished.
PREPARING TO LET UNFURNISHED PROPERTIES
The property should be professionally cleaned throughout including carpets and curtains to all rooms. A property can never be too clean at commencement as this is how the tenant will have to hand back the property at termination.
The kitchen should include Cooker, Fridge/Freezer, Washing machine and dishwasher (optional). The remainder of the property can be entirely unfurnished with the exception of carpets, curtains/blinds and light fittings.
PREPARING TO LET FURNISHED PROPERTIES
A fully furnished property should be ready for immediate occupation without the tenant providing anything but their personal belongings (with the exception of TV/video, Hi-Fi) and should include the following:
| Kitchen: | Cooker Fridge/Freezer Washing Machine/Dryer Dishwasher (optional) Microwave (optional) Electric Kettle & Toaster Set of Saucepans & Frying Pan Matching Dinner Service Cutlery & Kitchen Utensils Selection of bakeware Iron & Ironing Board Vacuum Cleaner Broom Dustpan & Brush Mop & Bucket | |
| Lounge: | Three Piece Suite Coffee Table Table Lamps TV Unit/Stand | |
| Bedrooms: | Each bedroom should have Bed & Mattress in good condition Mattress Covers New Pillows & Duvet Wardrobes Dressing Table & Stool/Chest of drawers Bedside Table & Lamp | |
| Dining Room: | Dining Table with Chairs (suitable for size of property) Sideboard or equivalent Placemats | |
| Bathroom: | Bathroom Cabinet Electric Shower (optional but preferable) Shower Curtain (if applicable) Mirror Bath & Pedestal Mat | |
| Garden: | (Should be left in a manageable, ’seasonal’ order) Dustbin Lawn mover Gardening Tools Hosepipe | |
| Garage: | Should be left empty with keys |
It is important that furnishings, fittings and décor should be of reasonable quality and in keeping with the style of the property. This will make the property more appealing to prospective tenants, improve your prospects of achieving a fair rental value, avoid continual maintenance and repair of low quality items and, we find, encourages tenants to respect the property as if it were their own.
