Is it worth renovating a flat before letting it?

There is no clear-cut answer to this question. Whether it is worth renovating a flat before letting it depends on the condition of the flat and the scale of the renovation we want to carry out.
The visual condition of a flat is the first thing prospective tenants notice. It is not only about the technical condition of the interior, but also about the feeling of freshness. The flat should give the impression of being clean and cosy. This also increases the likelihood that the tenants themselves will take better care of the flat.
The agreement can stipulate that, before handing back the keys, the tenants must repaint the flat at their own expense or repair any damage that has occurred. It is better to include this amount in the deposit. Who will pay for any renovation, however, should be clearly set out in the agreement.

What is worth replacing?

If we are buying a flat to let, it is worth checking the condition of the wiring, the water and sewage pipes, and the gas supply or central heating. It is better to replace old cables and junction boxes straight away than to take calls from tenants after a year of letting saying that the fuses keep tripping. Such faults occur with older wiring. The cost of replacing them is lower if we do it before painting and laying the floors.
Skim-coating the walls is a big expense and a time-consuming operation, but sometimes a necessary one. Hardly anyone will fail to notice crooked walls, full of bulges under a dozen layers of paint. A well-applied skim coat means that for many years you only need to fill in small defects and repaint the surfaces in new colours.
In older flats it is worth considering laminate flooring in the rooms, tiles in the kitchen and bathroom, or even, to cut costs, new vinyl flooring. Carpeting and linoleum do not look good and are often saturated with smells collected over the years.

READ ALSO – THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT RENOVATIONS

Refreshing after the previous tenant

If we do not opt for a major renovation, it is worth at least refreshing the flat after the previous tenant. The basic work is repainting the walls and repairing minor damage that occurred during the tenancy. This might be loose sockets, chipped wall corners or wax stains on the furniture. This type of damage comes with normal use, but it looks bad when showing a flat to let, e.g. in Katowice.
Depending on how the flat is furnished, you can also replace the curtains, have the carpet cleaned or clean an upholstered sofa with a special product. In the kitchen you can put a pot of herbs on the windowsill, and in the living room add a new lamp. Such touches will refresh the look and smell of the flat.