What do renter want?

[QueenOfCakeandCoffee]

We are thinking out renting out our excouncil maisonette with garden in London, good transport links, schools, parks and garden etc.

It’s a lived in family home at the moment, my instinct is to make like a boutique hotel but i’m told that’s not necessary, if you rent what feature are important?

Are shower curtains a no no? Do you want a ‘hotel’ finish bathroom?
Do people prefer part furnished (white goods) or completely empty?
When you view it, do you want it empty and ready or staged?
Tell me your pet hates or the amazing things you’ve had in rented accommodation! We want to be good landlords and for the tenants to feel like it’s home rather than somewhere they rent.

Answers on the back of a postcard please!

Definitely don't want a boutique hotel. If its a family home then I want a family home. I prefer unfurnished, because I already have all my own furniture. Although I don't have an oven or fridge/freezer as they've been included in all the rentals I've lived in. Its nice if neutral curtains are included, especially if you have odd sized windows, although the ones in my current property were hideous so I took them down and put my own up. My current landlord let me decorate with the agreement that if he doesn't like the colour schemes I will repaint when I leave. I've been here 10 years and not planning to go any time soon.
Other then that I like that he doesn't interfere, he doesn't subject me to viewings or anything. I rarely see him. Its his house, but its my home.
Only thing I would like that he doesn't do is actually fixing things when I report them to him (eg leaky roof which I reported a year ago).

Plain and decent quality carpets and pain job - reasonable rent - flexible tenancies - long if I want one or short then rolling if that's what I need.

Things fixing in a timely fashion. Fridge/oven would be handy but we have all other furniture

Make sure you have contacts in all trades so you can get things fixed ASAP

The main thing i want as a renter is a home that is fully working and safe. My current boiler is around 25 years old and my electrics make the boiler look like a baby.
Also speedy repairs and an easy way to contact the landlord if needed.
Not to be evicted 4 months into a tenancy in the middle of a pandemic would also be good.

As a landlord, my advice is to keep it simple as it makes it easier to rectify, your tenants will appreciate a landlord who is quick to see to repairs than one who has fashionable colour schemes which will quickly go out of fashion.

Keep it a neutral colour scheme as it is easy to repaint.

I want security, a non intrusive landlord and clean, not shabby bathroom, kitchen and carpet.
I would prefer to have a list of preferred tradespeople who I can contact to arrange repairs.
I would like some autonomy on painting walls and hanging pictures with an understanding that it will be 'made good' if I leave.
My last rental was fab for all of these reasons and I stayed for years.

An house that you wouldn't mind living in yourself. Doesn't have to be an amazing expensive kitchen or bathroom but a nice one that you wouldn't mind living in because it's not nice otherwise is it?
Ok carpets IE doesn't have to be amazing but nice not shitty years old ones
Reassurance you're not planning on selling the property - if the tenants want to stay long term
If you are the kind of landlord who's taking it seriously and being nice and efficient might be worth having a word z introducing yourself and being friendly otherwise they'll assume you're like all the others
Goes without saying that you need to fix things and not just ignore and take things seriously
And allow pets.

For the walls tone painted ANY colour except magnolia. It just feels like a rented house with magnolia walls and you can never make it look nice. All white is ideal, but greige type colours fine also

No to boutique hotel!

Are shower curtains a no no?

As long as it’s brand new for each tenant it’s fine.

you want a ‘hotel’ finish bathroom?

I want clean (very clean!), neutral and well done decor and fully operational.

Do people prefer part furnished (white goods) or completely empty?

I prefer empty

When you view it, do you want it empty and ready or staged?

Empty. I want to see the walls, sockets, flooring etc. I don’t want furniture hiding anything like wonky floorboards or mould or poorly fitted electrics.

Tell me your pet hates

LL or agents who fob you off over repairs. I want prompt repairs. I’m paying for it!

LL/agents who are hard to get hold of. A same day response is reasonable. Even if they can’t sort the issue that day, just respond to let me know.

or the amazing things you’ve had in rented accommodation!

Speedy responses and someone who actually cares that there is a family with water pouring through the ceiling.

Dishwasher, curtain rails in bedrooms. If you expect the garden upkeep then provide tools and secure storage.

Decent extractor fan for bathroom and kitchen. So hard to keep bathroom mould free if there isn't proper ventilation or extractor (and I say that as a clean freak who squeegee's and wipes constantly.
Same for kitchen. No point having an extractor fan that goes into a cupboard and not properly vented.

A landlord who actually fixes stuff and gets it done. Not someone who says "Well it can't possibly be broken, we only bought it a couple of years ago".

If you're renting it out, you need to let go of any emotional attachment to it regarding it being your family home. The tenants won't care about that, and you need to let go of any notion that your tenants are expected to take extra special care of it just because you used to live there and might want it back one day. You don't have the right to expect tenants to keep it "special" for you. You also need to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might end up with bad tenants who end up trashing the place. You don't have any extra rights just because of your situation.

I had inspections every 3 months in my last house, which was dictated by the letting agents, who also took photos of each room every time the house was inspected. I was there for five years and I felt like a naughty child who couldn’t be trusted. So if you are going to use a letting agent please find one that doesn’t feel that all tenants are potential criminals/scumbags.

Boutique hotel is not what you should be considering as a landlord. If that's how you imagine letting property to be I think you are in for a very big shock.

You need to provide a clean and hard wearing finish to rooms. Neutral colours for walls, neutral hard wearing carpets, clean and functional bathroom and kitchen.

Unfurnished is best but I have always provided the essential white goods ie fridge freezer, cooker and washing machine.

I would also recommend you let through an agent so that you know you are meeting your legal obligations such as gas safety certificates, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms etc.

Agree with pp that a lot of it is about having a professional and responsive landlord who sorts things out when needed and leaves you alone when not. But in terms of specifics, I would say no shower curtains (yuk), make it easy to maintain and keep clean - no wooden worksurfaces in the kitchen (why??), ideally hard floors and rugs in high traffic areas but carpets in the bedroom. If you are providing it furnished then proper wardrobes, not freestanding rails or crappy fabric ones, and chests of drawers. Decent beds. It doesn't have to be boutique hotel standard but neither should it look as though it's been furnished from a car boot sale or what was left over after a family house clearance. As much storage as you can create. Instructions for any appliances you're leaving as well as the boiler and the location of gas/electricity meters and the stopcock. If you are getting curtains then get decent quality blackout ones that will keep the warmth in.

Everything you leave in it is your responsibility to repair or replace. So most places are rented unfurnished with just a cooker and whatever runs the heating. If you provide a washing machine and it breaks through being overloaded - you buy the new one for example.

Simple flooring that's strong and hardwearing. If your flat isn't on the ground floor then you will have to have carpet down and it would be kind to have good underlay to absorb noise. I provided curtain rails in my houses. Used to fit blinds but they normally needed replacing every time tenants moved out. Keep it simple and if this is your first landlord experience consider going with an agent that include landlord insurance in their fees.

Oh and clean - make sure it's spotless for viewings and when they move in. Fingers crossed you'll get nice tenants who will look after it. Forget ideas of making it a nice home for them, they make it their home. Also, as mentioned above, let go of it as a home for your family. If you ever want it back to live in believe me, you'll gut everything out and do a complete redecoration. Be prepared for the bad tenants and be prepared for the "void" periods.

Look after your tenants as you'd like to be looked after yourself. Don't take round wine and flowers on a regular basis, but do make sure that repairs are done promptly and well.

Uggh this thread just reminded me of the things that need fixing in mine
God if only there was a landlord like these posts say

Keep your eye on the garden until you know your tenants better & don't forget to maintain the guttering and I would never provide a dishwasher, remember everything you provide has to be maintained or replaced when it breaks down.

We always looked for the cheapest furnished place with a suitable driveway in the area we were moving to.

Are you meaning air bnb type rent or as someone's home rent?

Either way my primary concerns are NOT decor but safety and awareness of their legal obligations as landlords AND of tenants rights.

The money and knowledge to address faults and repairs as they occur.

Too many people become landlords with too little knowledge or experience and giving too little thought to anything but the cosmetic and the tenants/renters are the ones who suffer when it all goes wrong!

Personally I think it should be a licensed and registered profession

Most renters expect white goods but not really anything else.

Interesting post. I have been renting a property fully furnished since 2014, down to teaspoons, iron, glasses and duvets, sheets etc with all bills included with wifi and gas ch and have had great tenants who have kept it clean and paid me! It is now sstc and the buyer asked to have the furniture which is amazingly still great. Two beds each ensuite, shared living kitchen dining and courtyard garden. So I think that approach can work. I didn't use an agent for letting or managing.

Oh and had dishwasher, washing machine, microwave, toaster, kettle etc