Tips to Bestow Upfront Rent on Property Decoration, Wiser
Wectory’s upfront rent could be used towards the eye-capturing maintenance of a property; from slabbing on a new shade of colour, to ensuring the disappearance of that squeaky sound in the door. Landlords near and far do not wish to splash out all of their profits on the remodelling of a property however. Do not fear! Wectory’s top tips on how to save on property maintenance are here.
Do not procrastinate. Let’s be honest. We are all guilty of doing this - but your beloved Netflix show won’t be going away anywhere… not unless it has legs! It’s vital that you begin decorating the day after your tenants leave the property. Prolong it, and your bill will be showing for it. Leave enough time for purchasing all of the necessities, and some leeway for engineers or carpenters to reschedule too. Oh, and carry out the final inventory inspection prior to starting your work!
Cancel culture: landlord council tax! If your property will remain empty, and doesn’t have any decorations at the time at which you’re fixing it, send a call to the local council and send an application to stop paying the council ‘landlord tax.’ Who befriends taxes anyway? Keeping a property vacant can add up to £90 of unwanted governmental, but covert fees.
Transition to tiles. Pave the way for tiles as opposed to paint, particularly in areas where there’s high moisture, and areas that attract mould (I’m looking at you, kitchens and toilets!) Mould can also cause respiratory problems for sensitive tenants and eat through paint. Tiles are as strong as the Hulk and protect against bacteria, while paint is a tricky facade - it hides, but doesn’t address. Also, enter mastic into any spaces within sinks, ovens, and tubs. Ants and mice love to party in there.
Colour swap, activate! Although light colours may give off an angelic presence and confide in the prospective or current tenants that your property is a sparkling, stain-free zone, the duration of impact won’t last. Think of the children that spill their parents’ favourite espresso on those white carpets, or the student parties and their aftermath… Your budget will be unhappy if the light furniture colour palette is of your choosing. (Neutrals such as browns or greys are just as iconic and won’t block out any natural sunlight!)
Save money, but not on your floors. Which part of the property is subjected to the most feet trodding on it? Floors. Which part of the property should therefore get extra TLC? Floors! If the flooring can have chemically-mixed shampoos used on them, then swamp smelling shoes won’t hurt them either! When next shopping at a home store, ask blatantly ‘flooring for buy to let properties’. Yes, thin carpets may leave more in the piggy bank if priced at less than £5 per metre squared, but things that seem too good to be true mostly are. You’ll be replacing them more than you could chomp in a buffet. Laminate flooring is also a good option.
Overall if you take on the role of scrooge now, you may be regretful later. The expenses may be built up at first, but in the long run, it’ll be your true calling, as you won’t have to keep buying, buying, and buying components due to their cheap manufacturers.