Five reasons why a tenant will turn a property down

Whilst the rental market is still strong in our area with plenty of good quality tenants looking to rent its still imp

ortant that, as a Landlord, you really know your market and understand what will make a tenant reject a property.  Below is a list of the most common factors we have come across in the last few months:

·         Kitchen a bit shabby.  Tenants do seem to like nice, modern kitchens at the moment.  If your kitchen is a little tired but you don’t want to start ripping it all out, consider changing the doors or work surfaces as this can really smarten it up without huge expense.  Even just changing the flooring can make a difference but avoid laminate as any small leak will ruin it, go for vinyl.

·         White goods.  This is a bone of contention for many tenants.  In my view if you are renting a 1 or 2 bed property, you cannot expect white goods apart from the cooker.  However, if it is a more expensive property then they should be considered.  However, if you as a Landlord are not prepared to repair / replace them if they fail during the tenancy, make sure this is written into the agreement.  Obviously you have no choice where a cooker is concerned.

·         Bathroom a bit shabby.  Again, tired bathrooms will put tenants off.  If you have a decent bath that looks tired, consider re-enamelling if suitable as this can brighten it up.  Re-do grout and sealant as grubby sealant looks awful and is a real put off.  Again, changing the flooring can help as well.

·         Strong coloured carpets.  Tenants much prefer neutral colours or laminate to strongly coloured carpets.

·         Parking.  If parking is a bit of a free-for-all this can put tenants off but obviously there is little that a Landlord can do about this, just bear it in mind if you are looking to buy a buy-to-let.  You don’t necessarily need a garage but some sort of allocated parking is always a plus.

      If you want any advice on what work you are considering carrying out on your rental property, please feel free to pop in to our Bridge Street offices and we will advise you if you are spending wisely!