Furnished vs unfurnished

If you have bought a property with the intention of renting it out or you already let a property then the question of whether to furnish it has probably crossed your mind.

There are not any legal requirements as to what a "furnished" property should consist of but customs and best practices have developed over time and one requirement that is defined is that specific furnishing must meet fire safety regulations.

As a guide, the following key terms best describe the types of rental property:

Unfurnished- Unfurnished doesn't mean empty, there should still be the basics such as curtains, suitable flooring and some white goods (i.e. Fridge) but there won't be any sofas, beds, wardrobes etc.

Part-Furnished- A part-furnished property will have the basics plus the odd piece of furniture such as a dining table and chairs but it wouldn't have beds or sofas.

Furnished- A fully furnished property would have all the basics plus the addition of sofas and beds. If you decide to fully furnish your property it is important to get your tenants to view and acknowledge an inventory of items you have provided/will provide them with during their tenancy.

For a more detailed guide to the possible benefits of funishing your property visit Upad's article on 'How furnishing your property can find you a tenant faster.'