# What would you expected in a furnished rental property?



## SLS (27 May 2010)

Hi All
Looking for some advice, I am going to be a first time landlord and am wondering what it is expected as part of the "furnished" element of the property.
I’m not worried about the furniture as we have all of the usual couches, beds, tables, its more the soft furnishing side. 

Agent has advised to keep everything to a minimum but as a previous tenant I would have expected dinner set, cutlery, and kitchen utensils, saucepans, frypans, glasses, vacuum etc.
Maybe its changed since I rented but perhaps a tv may have been thrown in?
Any advice from what the state of play is these days?


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## Steve D (27 May 2010)

Leave as little as possible and try to confine the items that you leave to large bulky items of furniture.

The only electrical items that you should leave are a washing machine and fridge. I would never leave a TV or any small appliances because if they break down the tenant will expect you to get them repaired and this could give you unneccessary hastle. 

The tenants should supply all their own kitchen equipment such as cutlery, saucepans etc and the own linen etc. You also have to remember that any small items like these can easily go missing. Some tenenats would also consider it more hygenic to provide their own.

Do not leave any valuable items.


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## sam h (27 May 2010)

> Hi All
> Looking for some advice, I am going to be a first time landlord and am wondering what it is expected as part of the "furnished" element of the property.
> I’m not worried about the furniture as we have all of the usual couches, beds, tables, its more the soft furnishing side.
> 
> ...


 
I'd leave all of the above (except the TV - that means TV licence & costly repairs!!)

I keep the amount of cups, plates, knives etc to the number of tenants renting (encourages wash up!!).  I also leave sweeping brush, mop & plenty of cleaning products (start them off as you hope they will continue).


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## delgirl (28 May 2010)

It's a tenant's market at the moment and you should be looking to provide as comfortable and attractive a home as possible in order to attract good tenants.

You can chat to your tenants when you have chosen them and ask them in conversation if they have their own crockery, pots and pans etc..  If not, you can offer to put them in for them.

Agree with sam h, leave lots of cleaning products, mop and bucket, good bagless hoover - so they can maintain your carpets for you, lawn mower if you have a garden.

Most tenants expect a microwave in the kitchen, we also supply a kettle.

All of the small miscellaneous kitchen, household and bathroom items can be written off in full against your rental income in the first year.

Ironing board is a must - otherwise you'll find people ironing on kitchen counters or dininig tables and these will be ruined.

Put bins in kitchen and all bathrooms.  Tell the tenants when they move in that you have supplied bins in the bathroom(s) and nothing except human waste and paper is to be put into the toilets.  If they become blocked due to something else being thrown in, the tenant has to pay for the plumber themselves.

Put a drain sieve in the kitchen sink and ask them to use it.  Again, if the sink becomes blocked due to food waste being forced down it, the plumber cost is for the tenant.

Don't put in a TV - if it breaks down, you'll have to fix it or replace.

Do up a detailed inventory and include it as part of your lease.  Have the tenants sign it confirming that they have received the listed furnishings in good and clean condition.


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## Shiraz (31 May 2010)

I am looking at renting an apartment, so am also wondering what is standard.

The only item I would like the landlord to provide which is not there, is a vacuum cleaner/carpet sweeper. Is it reasonable to expect the landlord to provide this?

The apartment is advertised as luxury, but has no microwave, bins, bedside lights, ironing board etc. I don’t mind providing these myself, and also expect to bring my own kettle, toaster, cutlery, crockery, etc.

So the vacuum cleaner is the only item, but I'm not sure if it is reasonable to request it?


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## delgirl (31 May 2010)

Yes it's very reasonable to request a vacuum cleaner and if the landlord is smart, he/she will provide you with one.


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