What is best for tenants/what do tenants look for?

[Anoone]

Evening,

Currently renovating a property to rent out. It’s been completely gutted to a shell and is basically brand new!
I’m now at the point where it’s flooring, window fittings and tiling.
My questions are what makes a property desirable?

carpet or LVT in living room?
LVT or tiles on kitchen and utility floor?
Colours of wall tiles in kitchen and bathroom?

Also would a prospective tenant prefer curtain rails were put up so they can dress the windows accordingly? I will however install shutter blinds in the kitchen and bathroom though.

Any other things I should take into account too?

Thank you!

Splashbacks rather than tiles in the kitchen are popular and much easier to keep clean or replace. You can get a wide variety of colours to go with the units.

Its personal taste I guess, but you need to consider what’s easiest in terms of maintenance and replacement.

Curtains so house warmer. Carpet in living room so cosy and warmer but a sensible colour that can take usage.

No grey.
Tiles in a kitchen will last longer from a landlords perspective I assume but I guess a tennant would probably prefer lvt. I agree with the pp about glass splashbacks.
What market are you aiming at? Because that will alter the options too.

White walls in trade white, not magnolia. It's depressing

Use flooring and kitchen that supermarket products can be used on and don't need specialist cleaning.

Definitely curtain rails up. Do you mean would a tenant prefer to buy their own curtains or have them installed even if unfurnished? I would expect curtains in an unfurnished property because they're specific to the window. I would buy my own if I didn't like them but wouldn't expect to have to buy them.

Tastes vary and most important is something durable and easy to maintain, in neutral colours. Curtain rails are useful. Proper ventilation very important and somewhere to dry washing if possible. Enough cupboards and hooks for coats etc.

Hear hear. White looks clean and spacious and is cheap to top up. No bloody grey!!!

Yes, good point on proper ventilation and somewhere to dry washing. Consider a washer-drier if space for air drying / outdoor space is limited. You can't remove the need for clothes to dry so make sure it can be done in a way that doesn't encourage mould.

White walls the it's easier to repaint after they leave- no having to cut in around the doors, skirting etc if they are also white.

I would also suggest putting some picture hooks up. Every house I've rented has no hooks. Which means I've had to knock nails in the walls and then remove and touch up when we leave. I think a few picture hooks would mean tenants are less likely to make a mess by putting up their own.

Excellent idea on the picture hooks. You can't expect people to have no pictures on their walls but this way you can be happy with how they are put up.

The most powerful extractor fans in the bathrooms and kitchen that you can afford. Windows with good vents built into them. Think about where and how wet washing is likely to be dried. If there is outside drying space provide a good rotatary drier.

And yes good extractor fan or what is the point.

No carpet. I need to be able to clean my home with water. Curtain rail so I can use curtains for warmth as well as to block out light. Blinds are also incredibly difficult to clean if previous tenants never did my current blinds are filthy and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it. Similar problem with shower screens so I would prefer to have my own shower curtain o can wash.

*Sockets - many sockets if you are still at that stage. Either side of king size bed positions in the bedrooms, with usb points are always appreciated, and one with usb in kitchen, and same near sofa position. One or two sockets in hallway for hoovering. External sockets front and back of house too.
*Light fittings that take standardly available bulbs and if spotlights ones that don't need to be pulled out from ceiling, snapping shut on your fingers, to change.
*If very high such at the top of stairs, a ladder to change them.
*Thermostatic radiator valves
*Easy to change & simple to use (no wifi enabled nonsense) appliances, freestanding easier than built ins
*Nice wood or engineered wood flooring, not cheapest laminate, and tiles, coloured grout on floor not white
*Shaver/toothbrush socket in bathroom
*Toilet seat that takes a standard size and shape replacement. Don't go for a funny shaped loo where the seat needs special ordering and costs £££
*Heated bathroom mirror or mirrored cabinet
*Rain head shower with handheld attachment too
*Shower screen not curtain
*Powerful but quiet bathroom fan, even if there is a window.
*heated towel rail
*outdoor sensor light by front door
*White paint everywhere, washable matt, or trade quality washable
*plain black out roller blinds, & sturdy curtain poles
*Picture hooks on the wall
*Coat rack on the wall
*Instructions manual folder, (keep a digital copy for easy replacement when lost), & bin day info
*quick guide to using appliances & boiler, & how to bleed radiators & top up water pressure
*Space for a kitchen bin or integrated pull out bin
*Easy to use fan oven, add a magic oven liner.
*Gas or induction hob, not basic electric rubbish
*Dishwasher
*Washer and separate dryer if room
Easy to maintain garden, lawnmower provided if needed, & basic gardening tools in a shed
*If side access available, covered bike storage space
*Pull out washing line installed outside
*garden tap
*If permit parking, a couple of visitor permits until they have enough bills to apply to a residents permit
*a really good letting agent with 24/7 emergency number - not F###tons, Chan#####ors or similar

Yes, but don't put the extractor fan just above the person's head in the shower so they're freezing every time.

I would expect to bring or buy my own.

Definitely. I don't want to be oiling the floor.

As a tenant I want something easy to keep clean, difficult to destroy.

If providing curtains choose machine washable not dry clean only. IKEA has a good range of plain coloured black out machine washable in longer lengths that are easy to take up. I favour the Sanela velvet style.

Affordable rent!

Neutral coloured bathrooms and splashbacks over tiles in kitchen. I would love colour on walls as white bores me but always white over magnolia. Personally hate carpet

Good suggestions, apart from blinds for reasons I mentioned earlier, and if the floor is going to be wood, it should be of a type that can be cleaned with water. I'm happy with lino personally...

I'd rather choose my own, but if the LL is doing it, then I'd like thick curtains for warmth reasons, especially if there is a draft from the windows.

Avoid wood or engineered wood. My DD wrecked my new floor day one with her heels. Tenants are unlikely to be careful.