Survey reveals what UK renters want from their homes

With financing and regulator costs rocketing, and therefore, rocketing rents, the issue here is whether a "feature" is affordable.

Just like any business, Landlords are happy to invest as long as there is a reasonable after-tax payback on that investment (a jacuzi @ £100pcm more per month?😅).

Re - Tenants Number one Priority - size of rooms.

What Tenants want, and what they can afford, are two completely different things.
I want a big house, but can only have one as big as I can afford.
Seems a simple, strangely overlooked principle.

Reply to the comment left by AccidentalLandlord2024 at 29/01/2024 - 11:33
Trouble is, Too many tenants are expecting the Jacuzzi included in the LHA allowance !

I could add white goods but I’d expect to have to have them repaired due to tenant misuse.

I’d charge more than it would cost the tenant to rent the white goods themselves.

I’ll include whatever social housing includes with some extras (flooring, light fittings, curtains/blinds for example). I’d prefer to supply nothing.

There is no indication where in the country this survey was conducted and it came as a surprise to me that the no. 1 desire is for the landlord to provide furniture. In the region where we let properties only tenants in HMO rooms want furnished accommodation. In almost twenty years of letting I have only had one enquiry for furnished. It came from a junior doctor on a six-month placement at the local hospital. Local residents desire to make their rental as personal ro themselves as possible, starting by moving their own furniture in and asking permission to redecorate to their taste. If there is furniture left by the outgoing tenants we are almost invariably asked to remove it.

Prefer to let unfurnished. I have no responsibility for anything that way. If tenants want to damage anything it's their loss not mine. I also see more of a commitment from tenants when they bring their own furniture including white goods as well . I do charge a less than market rate rent to reflect the fact it's unfurnished. I've never had anyone ask if I'd furnish it before renting it.

I will never furnish a property. I rent for the purposes of long term use, and with that comes the understanding that the tenant is responsible for everything they put into it, from white goods to furniture. Same rule in all my properties form one bed flats to 5 bed houses.
In some of my one bed properties in certain more 'interesting areas' where there is a distinct lack of fully private renters who can afford their own deposit etc, I am seriously even considering moving from carpets to lino/vinyl on all flooring - still above the level that local council/HA provide themselves (only lino in the kitchen and bathroom, bare floorboards/concrete flooring everywhere else) Benefit recipients have the ability to obtain grants and other cash handouts to allow the purchase of carpets/flooring themselves when they move into long term accommodation, along with money for cookers/fridges etc. They are all often very well versed in obtaining as much from the system as they can for their advantage, at the same time I limit my financial risk as the deposit is capped.
I also charge slightly less than market rate as the the rent is mostly made up from UC (LHA rate) but even then I make sure the tenant pays a small top up - just enough to make sure they know there is an expectation to contribute as this is the PRS and I am not a social housing provider.

We have provided furnished accomodation 1&2 bed flats for over 20 years. We rent to people, age group 20-30's. My impression is, this age group prefer it because they don't want to spend money on furniture. They prefer the flexibility of being able to move with out the hindrance of owning furniture. It gives them more opportunity to buy fancy coffee machines etc!. One of our flats at one point needed all the furniture replaced so as an experiment we decided to let it unfurnished. The furniture which the tenant used was not attractive which made it difficult to let when they handed in their notice. They also damaged all the architraves moving furniture in and out. I also had another flat where the tenant complained about a sofa being uncomfortable because the support had gone. She wanted to replace it with a gifted one from a family member so I agreed based on the fact the existing sofa was not that stylish anymore. (The supports could have been repaired). The tenant's replacement from her aunt was even less stylish than the one which was being binned! Again when I went to let the flat when she handed in notice the sitting room did not look as nice as it could have done. I have found that tenants like to view a flat and know in an instant what it looks like rather than trying to imagine what it could look like. Finding furniture to fit specific places in a property is not always easy and you know it's never going to fit perfectly in the next property.
I don't buy new furniture (no point because if it gets ruined you can't get the money back). I buy up to date, good quality second hand as long as it has no damage or marks on it. It does take a very long time to find but it has been worthwhile. If it is true tenants would pay more for furnished I should up my rents. But I suspect the survey relates to London property and expectations of high class furniture! On the other hand if I had a house to rent I would not furnish it. Houses are mainly for family's and they would prefer their own furniture and I don't think landlords furniture would last very long with a family

Reply to the comment left by Chris @ Possession Friend at 29/01/2024 - 11:47
Ha ha brilliant Chris. We think alike.