First time landlord: What "extras/courtesy goods" to provide in unfurnished flat?

Murphybear

MaryNB said:

newsgroupmonkey_ said:

canaldumidi said:

canaldumidi said:

....bottle of wine next to the property folder in the kitchen .....

bouicca21 said:

.... but the one thing I’d really want is a folder of information.  When to put the bins out (and where), recycling instructions, any quirks about the flat/house, local restaurants/takeaways, doctors surgeries etc.

Absolutely, but I didn't think it even needed spelling out. Don't all LLs provide that as a matter of course? Where's the stopcock, gas and electric cut-off switches for emergencies. Who to call if xyv. User manuals for the white goods (not the original....!). etc

We've so far rented 4 family houses. never been provided this information ever or shown.

Had to hunt them out ourselves.

I agree that both of those above would be really helpful.

Same. Houseshares are particularly bad. Everything is left up to other tenants to sort. 

I've never even had a landlord available to provide the key. Letting agents have always made me pick up the key from their office. Once, after driving for 5 hours, I turned up to find a property locked and empty. Landlord just assumed another housemate would be there without checking. I then had to drive across the city to the landlord's friends house to get a key. And that was only the beginning of the ordeal...

That’s dreadful.  When I worked in the business every single checkin was done personally and we made sure they knew how to use every single appliance and where all the meters were etc.  Plus there was a folder with all the information.  

Jude57

I'd be wary of providing anything other than blinds, floor coverings and white goods, with the caveats others have already mentioned.

We've recently had a thread where a lodger (ok, not a tenant but stil...) is suing his landlord, in part, for not providing cleaning products and toiletries in his entire-suite bathroom. A ridiculous claim? Certainly but if I've learned anything from reading this board it's that people are strange and their behaviour can't be predicted. A generous gift to make a new tenant feel welcome could come back to bite you, as could providing small electrical items. Just not worth the hassle IMHO.

Floss

Blinds, instructions/ information, wheelie / recycling bins (you'd be surprised how many run away when a property is left empty), insurers details & the LL's email addy & mobile number.

Mimi123456

From a point of view of a tenant who has been renting for almost 15yrs: all these ‘courtesies’ matter very little.
Just make sure the flat is in a nice clean condition ready to be lived in, appliances working etc

And then be a helpful and fair landlord - people will remember that and not the toilet roll you provided.

KeepOnKnitting

I think if unfurnished then anything that isn't "fitted" shouldn't be provided. Instead, focus on providing a property that functions well. Safe, secure, warm. Curtains/blinds, yes. Please don't leave dried flower arrangements on every available surface or hook, like in one property I rented. If the white good were installed in the 1970s like the rest of the kitchen, and cannot be removed without taking the tiles off, don't try to tell the tenant that they are responsible for the white goods and must remove them when they leave.

kimwp

I think blinds should be provided so they at least have privacy from day one and it's unlikely they'd be able to use them in their next accommodation.
A toilet roll and soap in the bathroom will make moving in day more pleasant if they've not thought to bring some.
A welcome gift is a nice touch, but a clean flat and folder with instructions and contacts is what's needed.

PurpleZoombini

Thanks guys all very helpful although it doesn't seem that there's an exact consensus. I've moved all my furnishings to my new place today so I'll be going in to clean the flat out tomorrow. I think I'll just provide the white goods and helpful information as well as being available for any extra questions they might have. Anything else I'll judge by the tenant that I get and if they have any particular requests or circumstances where it might seem like providing certain things could help them out. I've also got some furnishings that I've got in the garage now that I have no use for in my new place so I can offer them for free if they might be interested. 

Giftcardproblem

After over 40 years of renting, I'd be happy with any landlord leaving the flat super-clean, including the bathroom, the oven and the cooker hood if there is one.  Working lights in all rooms is great.  Keys for all lockable windows is helpful.  Also, if the premises has its own outdoor refuse and recycling bins, make sure that they are all there (with lids) and clean enough to use.  I've never been left gifts but a couple of landlords have left a 'welcome to your new home' card and that's been appreciated, but I haven't expected anything.  Cleanliness has been the best 'gift'!

CasaCroft8

That all sounds lovely what you're proposing. Sometimes as previous tenenants we were made to feel like scum by letting agents. Don't worry they were put in their place. So the human touches are nice. If you can leave curtains and blinds then that would be very appreciated I'm sure. As would a bin be. As all together that would probably come to at least £120 depending on how many windows you have. And yes just leave it super clean with lots of info. I'm sure you'll be a great landlord. Now I own i miss my last landlord who was a private ll and who brought my house and took over from the ll with the awful letting agent. He lived in a house that backed onto my terrace and owned 5 houses in a row. His daughters lived either side of me and he rented the other 2 privately. And in the short 8 months he was our landlord did so many improvements to our home. Even paying for a weekend away so that he could put a window into our windowless bathroom. He's 84, a real force of nature. 

babyblade41

I only left white goods, a welcome pack of tea, coffee sugar a kettle & 2 mugs .
I could never give a bottle of wine away... that's sacrilege !!