When preparing your property to let it is really important to ensure everything is looking its best and any minor repairs are completed. Tenants who are given a property in good condition are far more likely to look after it than if it is looking rough and untidy.
Take some time to focus on cosmetics, give it a lick of paint – neutral is always better as it is easier to patch up between tenancies. Check the flooring is in decent condition and give it a clean. If it has seen better days, consider replacing it with a tenant friendly carpet which is more hardwearing and can be cleaned more intensively. Try to look at your property from an outsider’s point of view – if you have lived in the property there are likely to be things that you are just happy to live with – this won’t be the case with a tenant who is paying significant money to live there – expectations are much higher!
From the legal side of things, make sure there is a smoke alarm on each floor and that it is in date and working. CO detectors are now also needed everywhere that there is a combustion appliance such as a boiler, gas fire and solid fuel devices such as stoves or open fires. The only exception is a hob.
If you choose to go down a furnished route, the furniture should be in decent condition as it is much harder to remove once a tenant is in situ. Any soft furnishings should have the relevant fire retardant tags on it to ensure it hits the fire regulations.
Electrical safety checks and gas safety checks (where applicable) will be required prior to signing contracts but it is better to get them done as soon as possible just to give you time to fix and remedial problems that may arise. Once done, electrical checks last for up to 5 years and gas checks last for 12 months.