ForLook Interior Design

More and more people are investing their money in buy-to-let properties. When they buy a property they remodel it and hope for the ideal tenant. Unfortunately most people forget the basic rule of rental property  -that remodelling / decorating a property for the rental market requires different criteria to those used when we do up a place for ourselves..

Here is list of what to do (and what not to do) in order to attract tenants:

• Do not spend more than 1% of the property value on remodelling and redecoration.
• Do your research before you decide on your decorating theme & budget. Find out who is most likely to rent in the area. Target that market but do not rule out others.
• The cost of remodelling is tax deductible but furnishing isn’t - so spend more on building work rather than on furniture. Built in units, appliances, kitchen accessories & sanitaryware are all tax deductible.
• Don’t let your personal taste & style influence your decorating scheme. It’s not you who’s going to live there. Taste is personal - what you love will most certainly be hated by someone else.
• Don’t decorate your property to the latest fashion & trends - you’ll limit your market. Also, fashion is fickle - certain things are in one minute, out the next. Go for timeless decoration instead.
• Don’t do precious or delicate themes and finishes - tenants will not look after them the way you would.
• Go for neutral finishes, easy maintenance materials, cheap & cheerful accessories.
• Don’t provide expensive furnishing - buy easily replaceable or recoverable sofas, simple dining furniture and simple beds.
• Storage is very important - and many times overlooked or underestimated. Provide as many built-in cupboards as possible, something that can be freshened up with a lick of paint when the tenants move out.
• Details matter - badly laid laminates, dirty walls, flaky paintwork are off-putting. If you want quality tenants, provide a quality environment (Note: quality doesn’t require extravagance).

Read the next article about decorating solutions for rental properties.

We at ForLook provide professional design & refurbishment services for landlords wishing to let their properties. Contact us with your details, the property details and your budget.