How to furnish a flat to let: part 1

Very many people own flats that they intend to let, whether to students, working people or families with children. How successful we are at finding a suitable tenant depends to a large extent on how we arrange the space. After all, everyone wants to live somewhere tidy, comfortable and attractive, even if the property is not theirs. If you too want to rent out your flat, read on for a few tips that will help you furnish it as attractively as possible from a tenant's point of view.

Put yourself in the tenant's shoes

When furnishing a flat to let, remember that you are not arranging it for yourself. This can be difficult at the start of furnishing the property, because we instinctively want to buy things we like for the interior. But if our taste is unusual and we like loud colours and non-standard accessories, we should rein in our decorating urges when furnishing a flat to let. Most tenants look for a neutral property that they can decorate in their own way and in which they can feel at home. In such a situation, an overpowering design may well put them off.

When starting to arrange a rental interior, it is also worth considering who we want to let it to. A property for students should be furnished differently from one for a single person, and differently again from one for a couple or a family with children.

The fewer pieces of furniture, the better

In rental flats it is best to limit yourself to the bare essentials. You need to take into account that all furniture will wear out over time and will have to be replaced. Besides, tenants may want to bring in their own things, so you need to leave them space to do so.

That said, we should not let the flat completely unfurnished, but we should be open to removing items from the rooms if the tenant asks for it. Nowadays it is rare for people who rent to have a complete set of furnishings, so it will be harder to let a space with no furniture at all.

A universal wall colour

Wall colours largely determine how we feel in a given room. In a flat to let, it is best to choose universal, muted shades that nobody will find jarring. The best choice is white, which works in every room. We can also go for subtle beiges or soft pastels. We strongly advise against painting walls in dark, intense colours. Not everyone will feel comfortable in them, which can make it difficult to find a tenant.

These are not the only aspects worth considering when furnishing a flat to let. You can find out more in the second part of the article.