letting furnished vs unfurnished

aggypanthus

ognum wrote: »

Yes, I have absolutely no problem with out going tenants allowing viewings.

I am however fairly flexible with tenants too, I have just had a tenant giving a months notice on the 20th of the month when they really should give a full month from rent day the 1st but it's fine. I will keep this flat of the market for a couple of weeks as we are going to put a new kitchen in.

Some areas are more tricky ie rural areas, as mine is.

Peronihull

Just prepared my first let. It is a two bed maisonette. I was advised go unfurnished for all the reasons described above. So we've done all but white goods which are under a warranty so should be easily fixed /replaced for the forseeable.

OP. It does depend on area and who you are renting to... I was also told that renters with own possessions tend to "look after" places better... but that could just be a coincidence

[Deleted User]

I would suggest unfurnished is better. This place had a large fridge freezer in it., presumably left by a previous tenant. It was helpful at the time but I've now been given one that's not huge (need it as move imminent), and its just a waste. It was ancient and probably cost a fortune to use.

In my experience, provided white goods/furniture are often not to your taste, and cheap and cheerful. I need a large energy efficient washing machine and tumble dryer so happy to provide my own. The oven was awful.., cheap, didn't cook evenly and had to clean it on moving in. Its now in the shed as I've bought my own.

You also have a risk that white goods will leave with the tenants. That would wipe out a deposit very quickly.

Softer furnishings are great, unless you have someone who has all their own stuff. What happens then? Look at your tenant type.., if this is their first house, they might want furniture. But what happens if it breaks? I didn't even look at furnished properties.

Personally I'd say you are just adding to the complications of renting if you provide furniture and white goods, for not much gain (in terms of increased rental).

ognum

deannatrois wrote: »

I would suggest unfurnished is better. This place had a large fridge freezer in it., presumably left by a previous tenant. It was helpful at the time but I've now been given one that's not huge (need it as move imminent), and its just a waste. It was ancient and probably cost a fortune to use.

In my experience, provided white goods/furniture are often not to your taste, and cheap and cheerful. I need a large energy efficient washing machine and tumble dryer so happy to provide my own. The oven was awful.., cheap, didn't cook evenly and had to clean it on moving in. Its now in the shed as I've bought my own.

You also have a risk that white goods will leave with the tenants. That would wipe out a deposit very quickly.

Softer furnishings are great, unless you have someone who has all their own stuff. What happens then? Look at your tenant type.., if this is their first house, they might want furniture. But what happens if it breaks? I didn't even look at furnished properties.

Personally I'd say you are just adding to the complications of renting if you provide furniture and white goods, for not much gain (in terms of increased rental).

I do provide white goods with my rentals, for the most part they are Whirlpool, so a mid range product and mostly integrated so difficult for the tenant to claim they are theirs!

There is no general rule for this, what you need is a buisness plan and to understand the market you are letting too, once you know that you will be able to provide what is needed.

buglawton

I manage 2 small furnished flats. The first was rented (probably at above market rate) by a professional who arrived from abroad with a large suitcase. You do get a 10% of rent tax allowance if furnished. The locations in my case are full of mobile professional people. I ask 6 weeks' deposit to cover furniture and fittings. It would not be released if the inventory is not complete on tenant's departure. In any location there's a market for both furnished and unfurnished. In my case I think furnished has the edge. There is an issue around contents and fittings insurance that I've not really solved yet so I would say, if you go furnished, vet tenants especially carefully and have mains powered smoke alarms.

goggle

when I first started out renting, "part furnished" was a popular term which generally provided white goods & sometimes a sofa that was there on a "we can leave that old one if you want it" basis
Even back then, I wouldn't have wanted totally fully furnished like some of my friends had (some even had plates & cutlery provided!) though I totally understand why people who move a lot like having the big furniture provided! I soon realised that I preferred unfurnished & that by having all my own stuff in a place it was more of a home - I could relax more if it was my own furniture, it gave me more incentive to look after the house in a way I would my own home. By the time i bought my current house I owned everything - I actually left the fridge freezer for the landlord for his new tenants as I didn't need it in my new place, but that was after a discussion!

I think that if you have a city centre apartment, are wanting to attract shorter term tenants or ones at the start of their career, young "upwardly mobile" types, then furnished is good ... if you are more want a family/longer term tenant who wants to feel established in their home for a long time then unfurnished!

penguine

We have a flat that we have let unfurnished though with white goods provided. I think letting a furnished property is going out of favour as more and more people rent longer into their adult lives and are likely to have their own furniture.

While looking for a house to rent ourselves a few years ago we viewed one which had some furniture in it, all cheap but in good condition, though not to our taste nor of any use to us because we had our own furniture. I asked the letting agent if it could be removed if we chose to rent the property and he said that the landlord *might* agree to remove it or we could store it in the garage -- making it sound like it would be very inconvenient for the landlord to take it out. So basically we would be paying rent and having to store some furniture provided by the landlord that we didn't even want. We chose not to rent that property.

The only advantage is that landlords can claim a tax deduction on the furniture they provide with the property.

I do think landlords should provide white goods as tenants may otherwise have to buy something that wouldn't fit in their next property.

Rambosmum

Washing machine and fridge- that is all.

Old_Git

from a tax point of view go with furnished .