Letting house ?how much tarting up

[catnipkitty]

We are planning to move house and let out our current house using a letting agent to manage everything. Its a family house, 3 bed, not 100% smart but well cared for. How much do we need to do before letting it out? for example, carpet in the living room is 12+ years old, it's OK, with an occasional tatty edge... Skirting boards have the occasional chipped bit...Taps in the kitchen are a bit corroded...

Plus, should we redecorate the kids rooms (1 pink, 1 yellow) to more neutral colours?

Thanks

I think it depends what you expect from tenants.

If you are happy for them to redecorate then you might as well leave the walls as they are. If you'd rather they didn't then I'd magnolia them.

I wouldn't worry about skirting boards or taps unless they are really bad but the carpet does sound like you should do it.

It all hinges on what rent you are expecting to charge too though.

We are planning to rent and are doing carpets and decoration thought as well as a new kitchen. However this house hasn't been decorated for years ! Got to change some very interesting light fittings too lol

I would say paint everywhere neutral and make sure kitchen and bathroom presentable as these are the 3 big things people notice first. Our flat is bright blue, everywhere but had brand new kitchen and bathroom. We got it for a song as people were totally put off by the colour. It was known as 'the blue one' by the agents and had been empty for two months. It's extremely cheap and in SE London on an ok street so should be paying a lot more!

It depends HOW tatty things are really, as you should prepare for carpet and skirting board to be scuffed more anyway. It depends what you're local rental market is like. Who are you competing with?

Make everything as neutral and simple as possible. New, plain carpets and magnolia the walls. That is, unless you're happy for your tenants to redecorate? My least favourite houses to live in were the ones where the LL just left their own weird decor and we ended up with yellow walls, 80s light fittings and navy carpets Best to go as bland as possible so everyone's stuff matches. Makes it look cleaner too.

The nicer it is the more likely you are to attract tenants who will look after it well.

But it can be "nice" in a not-very-expensive way.

Agree with Trills. If the place already looks tired and things like the carpet is frayed and taps corroded then tenants who have seen somewhere in better nick will go for that house rather than yours. Little things like that could make £25 per month difference in the rent you will get, for example.

A tenant who wants to stay may ask that the carpet is replaced after a period of time, etc.

Have a look at the competition locally on Rightmove - should give you an idea of the competition.

Als if it is a bit frayed then people will just be less careful and less fast to fix things and less keen to do small maintenance tasks, than they would do if it started out in good condition.

Exactly Trills. If something is already chipped or marked, then it's just another chip or mark. If it's clean and undamaged they are more likely to put it right.

Much more difficult at check out to calculate any deductions if things are old and worn to start with because it just isn't as clean cut.

It really depends on who you are hoping to rent to. A 3 bed property could attract families, students and flat shares. To be somewhat stereotypical students/flatsharers may not care so much about old carpet whereas families may. I certainly didn't care about the carpets when I was a student whereas now, as a mum to be, a suitable floor is important (i actually now rent a property with laminate floors). If you do decide to replace the carpets, I agree with Stay and go plain but not cream, I recently moved out of a property with cream carpets in all rooms and it was a PITA and I wouldn't rent somewhere with them with a baby on the way.

I don't think anyone will be overly bothered by scuffed skirting boards but a lick of paint won't hurt.

With regards to the taps, if they are corroded I would just replace them as you'll end up with tenants complaining about them in the future as they'll only get worst and you'll only end up replacing them anyway.

Dulux hessian is a nice neutral colour for the kids rooms (or the entire flat).

For me, as a renter, what I look for is :-

1. a shower. It doesn't have to be a fancy corner unit. A cheap attached to the taps is fine.

2. a washing machine (an absolute)

3. preferably a tumble drier or at least space to put one (& ill buy it)

4. large fridge freezer

5. a dishwasher but I am precious here due to my pathological hatred of washing up!

The flat I live in now is actually a little tatty compared to my old flat which was like a showroom. I found it very stressful keeping the last flat to showroom level whereas I feel much more relaxed in my tattier flat.

if the carpet is ok, leave it. Remember you'll get nothing back if there is any damage though.

And also remember that you still need to supervise the letting agent, all responsibility comes down to you. Check the agent has ARLA membership at least, although in my experience that is no guarantee of service.

Unless all the appliances are integrated, I would only expect to find a cooker, so hob and oven, in a rental house. If you let with appliances you are responsible for anything that goes wrong with them.

everything needs to be functional.

if the kitchen taps are a bit tatty and need to be turned just so as not to leak, replace them with new ones. same for loo flusher/shower/windows, anything that needs to be moved regularly.

and agree with others, lick of paint and carpets deep cleaned.

also remember when you le the house out it's the tennants home, read up on your responibilities and rights but leave the tennant (largely) alone.

Try and find a letting agent by word of mouth, and make the place look as clean and neutral as possible: bland is good, as it means that the potential tenants sky-blue-pink sofa won't clash with the carpet.

Also, make sure you have some of the paint left over for touching up walls etc.

Thank you all so much, great advice. It's been a steep learning curve for us!

OP please do your own research as to what your responsibilities as a landlord are and the legal obligations and correct way to deal with things. Select an agent carefully. Too many agents treat tenants poorly and without proper regard for the law.

'The nicer it is the more likely you are to attract tenants who will look after it'
We completely refurbed one of our properties. All we got from them was the deposit and the first months rent.
I asked my Daughter to go round and check the place (we were living aboard) She informed me that they had let 2dogs and a cat shit all over the new carpets.
Their references were from our local church!!!

a possible kick in the teeth goes with the territory. Make sure your insurance includes malicious damage cover, legal expenses and rent guarantee.

and that your agent actually does the occasional inspection visit.