What do Tenants Look for When Renting a Property?

Renting isn’t easy.

Finding the right tenants and making sure your house is suitable to be rented out can be tricky, but there are ways to make it easier.

When potential tenants come to view a property there are things that can make it stand out amongst the rest, for good reasons and for bad.

So just how can you get your property rental ready?

Here are eight ways to delight new tenants and to make sure your property has exactly what they need.

Make Working Easy

We’ve all been there. Brushing our teeth while trying to pull on your work clothes because you snoozed your alarm a few too many times. The last thing you need now is a long commute to work.

If you can offer your tenants great transport links that make commuting easy, then it’s sure to be a great start to your negotiations.

Alternatively, if your new tenant is one of the many people who now work remotely, they will be looking for somewhere to spend eight hours a day that is bright and comfortable. If you have a spare room that is unused or some attic space that can be converted then why not make it into a home office?

If you can provide an ideal spot for someone to spend their working day in, you could be giving them a big reason to rent your property.

A Nice Outdoor Space

People grew to love their gardens during the pandemic.

Having a private spot to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine is a big positive when it comes to finding tenants, especially if they have families or pets.

What can be a turn-off though, is a high-maintenance garden. In a busy household when people are working all day, the thought of having to tend for a rapidly growing garden can be a bit daunting.

If you can offer a low-maintenance garden, such as one that is turfed or a large, decked area, then the tenants will love the fact they don’t have to put too much work into it but can still enjoy barbecues and relaxing outside when the sun comes out.

Plenty of Storage

Children’s toys, large clothes collections and exercise gear such as bicycles are just some of the things that also need a place to live.

For people with lots of possessions, having ample places to store it all is very important. Building shelves into alcoves or having a shed in the back garden are great solutions to a tenant’s storage needs.

Without somewhere to put things, a house can feel cluttered and untidy. By fitting cupboards, drawers, and sideboards into your home, you can provide somewhere to keep belongings out of the way that will make keeping the house clutter-free quick and easy.  

Have Safety Certificates Ready

Safety is paramount to tenants. Things like gas, electrics, and fires all have to be checked before renting and any issues have to be dealt with. These checks are periodic, and you should always have a certificate to prove regular inspections have been carried out.

As well as your certificates, you should always make sure your house is in a safe and acceptable condition. If you have a leak in the roof, or you’ve noticed potentially harmful mould growing, for example, these things should be addressed before you let anyone rent your property.

The safety of your tenants is the most important thing, so don’t leave anything to chance and show any potential renter that the house is in the best shape it can be.

Be Open to Pets

If your rental is not pet-friendly, you are immediately cutting out a big chunk of the market. If it comes to a choice between a dream home or someone’s four-legged friend, then the home will lose every time.

If you can offer a pet-friendly home, then that’s a big plus to many renters.

This can mean many things, including having a garden big enough for an animal to run around and play in, or even having a hallway where muddy paws can be cleaned before they enter the home. Dogs, cats, and all of the other household pets are often at the forefront of a potential renter’s mind when looking at a property.

Pets are part of the family, and so if you offer a property that can’t cater for them, then you may struggle to find interested tenants.

Open Floor Plan

For families, having a large open home from which they can always keep an eye on the little ones is a big plus. It can also be a big positive for people who enjoy socialising and don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen while friends are relaxing in a different room.

By knocking down partition walls and creating a large living area, you can make your home look drastically bigger, as well as bring a lot more natural light into rooms that may have initially been missing it.

For people who love to entertain and who always want to be a part of the conversation, providing a large, open plan area may be the clincher that pushes them over the line to renting your property.

Great Location

Being in a great location means different things to different people. If you are selling to a family, this may mean that there is a good school nearby. For someone who loves nothing more than a long walk with their dog, a large park or wooded area would be ideal.

Whatever your renter desires, if you can provide things like shops and pubs within walking distance then it is always a positive.

Make sure you always let your tenant know of things such as good local parks, great bus routes for non-drivers, and nearby entertainment such as cinemas. These are added extras that come as no extra expense to you but could mean a lot to your tenant.

Friendly Landlord

Finally, one of the most important things people notice is the landlord. Renting from someone who is friendly, approachable, and eager to help gives great peace of mind to a tenant that you will be there if anything goes wrong.

Renting a house is a big outlay of money. If a tenant knows they are doing it from someone they trust and who will ensure the house is in a good state it can mean a lot.

Having a relationship between tenant and landlord isn’t necessary but it can be very helpful for both parties.

Final Thoughts

Finding someone to rent your property isn’t easy. Everyone is different and will want different things, but if you follow the tips above you will find your property will appeal to many different types of tenants, and an interested party is sure to come your way.

At S J Smith we offer a range of services to cater for every type of landlord and property and whether it is a one-off let or a whole block or estate to manage. 

If you need advice, do please contact our team here.