Decorating tips for landlords

Rental property demand is still very strong throughout the UK.

To ensure that you obtain the best tenants and avoid the  risk of long rental voids, below are a few simple hints and tips for  successful letting:

• Be prepared to redecorate at least every three years.
• Don’t get personal. Stick to neutral  colours and a common theme – always keep a tin of paint for touching up  when tenants leave.
• Install good lighting if necessary, bright and airy properties let quickly, especially in the main living room and kitchen.
• Keep costs down by buying felt-backed  bleach cleanable carpet which doesn’t require underlay, and be prepared  to replace where carpet cleaning does not work. Always pick neutral  colours.
• If you provide curtains they need to  be smart, hard-wearing and neutral coloured. Beige goes with anything  and makes the property look light and spacious. Let the light in. Open  curtains and blinds to their maximum. This will let a lot more light in  and make a flat feel more airy and spacious.
• Provide standard white goods –  cooker, fridge/freezer, washer/dryer etc. Provide a directory of  procedures for all your equipment or copy the User Manuals, to ensure  your tenants know how to use everything.
• If you decide to let your property  furnished make sure the furniture is relatively new, in good condition  and meets the latest fire and safety regulations.
• Fix all outstanding repairs. Fix the  leaking tap, patch the holes in the wall, clean the grout and replace  cracked tiles. Make tenants think they have little to do when they move  in.
• Put excess furniture in storage or  rearrange furniture to see more floor space. The more floor space a  viewer can see the better. This is another psychological factor and the  more floor space a viewer can see the bigger they think the room is.
• Clean. Many viewers are put of when  viewing an unclean flat. Clean the windows thoroughly, clean sinks and  toilets, and before viewings open all windows to let fresh air into the  flat, put clean colourful towels out and most important hide any dirty  washing.