Here’s a question every landlord should ask themselves from time to time.
Would you be happy to rent your own property?
Not as an investor looking at the monthly figures. Not as the owner who already knows every quirk and compromise. But as someone collecting the keys tomorrow and planning to call it home for the next year.
It’s a surprisingly useful exercise because landlords and tenants experience a home very differently.
As a landlord, you may be focused on rental income, maintenance costs and long-term value. Your tenant is thinking about something else entirely. Is the property warm? Is there enough storage? Does the shower have good water pressure? Does it feel clean, bright and well looked after?
The rental properties that attract great tenants and encourage them to stay are rarely perfect. They simply make everyday life easier.
Small details often matter far more than landlords realise. A boiler that works but struggles on cold mornings. Kitchen cupboard doors that no longer close properly. Poor lighting in the hallway. Marks on the walls that have been there for years because repainting never quite reached the top of the to-do list.
Individually, none of these issues is likely to make someone hand in their notice. Collectively, however, they can gradually change how a tenant feels about the place they call home.
Replacing a tenant is rarely inexpensive. Even in a busy rental market, there can be void periods, cleaning costs, maintenance work, fresh marketing, referencing fees and the time involved in finding the right replacement. Looking after a good tenant is almost always more cost-effective than regularly finding new ones.
That is why it pays to look at your own property through your tenant’s eyes every so often.
Walk through each room and ask yourself a few simple questions:
- Would I be happy living here?
- Does anything look tired or neglected?
- If this were my first viewing, would I be impressed?
- Would I happily sign another 12-month tenancy?
Answering honestly does not necessarily mean spending thousands of pounds on improvements. More often than not, it is the smaller jobs that make the biggest difference. A fresh coat of paint, replacing worn flooring, improving lighting or dealing with maintenance promptly can all help create a home that tenants are happy to stay in.
At the end of the day, every rental property is both an investment and somebody’s home. The landlords who never lose sight of that often benefit from longer tenancies, fewer maintenance issues and more consistent returns.
So, the next time you visit your own property, ask yourself one simple question.
Would I rent this?
If the answer is yes, you are probably doing plenty of things right. If you hesitate, it may be the perfect opportunity to make a few improvements before your tenant starts thinking about their next move.
Letting Done Ethically
We are proud members of the Ethical Agent Network (EAN), a national group of independent agents who have been independently assessed against strict standards of honesty, professionalism, customer service and community commitment.
To find out more about why we are the only local agency in the network, or to discuss how we can help you get the very best from your rental property, get in touch with our team today.
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