Need Some Extra Income? Here's How To Prepare Your Flat For Rental

If you have a spare flat that you are not using and it’s sitting empty, then isn’t it time you started to make some money from it? The chances are there’s somebody out there that would love to rent it out from you – and having tenants in it will be great for the flat’s security too. It’s really easy to rent a property out – you may want to do it yourself, or if you don’t have time for the maintenance and administration then you can pass it over to a lettings company who will do it for you for a small percentage of the monthly rental income. However, your flat needs to be in good shape before you consider putting it on the rental market – and here’s how to get it ready:

The Kitchen

The kitchen needs to be spotless in order to tempt potential tenants in. There should be a clean oven, a clean fridge and freezer and microwave and everything should be working perfectly. Get all the electrical equipment in the house PAT tested so that you know that it is safe to use. Make sure that all of the units are in good condition and that they have been thoroughly cleaned inside and out. Make sure the floor is beautifully clean for any viewings and make the house look a little more homely by putting a bowl of fruit on the sideboard. If the property has been lying empty for a while then you will need to put an air freshener in and clean the windows inside and out.

The Living Quarters

You need to make a decision as to whether you are going to rent the property out as fully furnished, part furnished or unfurnished. If it is fully furnished then you will need to provide large items of furniture such as a bed, a wardrobe, a three piece suite and a dining room table. If you are marketing it as part furnished then it is up to you what you provide and what you don’t. If the property is advertised as unfurnished then every single piece of furniture must be removed – many people prefer unfurnished as then they can put all of their furniture in the house rather than putting it in storage or selling it on.

The Garden

If your flat or apartment has a garden, then make sure the flowerbeds are weeded, the lawn is mowed and the trees and hedges are trimmed and pruned. You’ll want to ensure the garden is looked after while there are tenants living there, so provide a few basic garden implements such as a spade and a trowel, along with a lawn mower. Make sure that the tenants understand that you expect them to keep the garden maintained; otherwise you may come back to a jungle.

Renting out your spare property can bring you a huge extra income every month so it’s really worth considering. You’ll have to let the taxman know though – he needs to know about any extra money you get every month.

The author of this post, Nancy Baker, is a freelance blogger who is currently writing for Jason Property, providers of apartments for rent in Shanghai. She enjoys reading comics and sketching in her spare time. You can also follow her on Twitter @Nancy Baker.

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