When you’re a landlord there’s a lot of things that you have to consider, from insurance to décor, maintenance to letting fees.. but have you ever considered the flooring in your rental property? The answer most times to this question is no. But flooring in a rental property is something that needs to be up high on any landlords agenda, whether you’ve just purchased a property that you’re looking to renovate and rent out in the future or you’re considering revamping a current property. One of the most important features that you need to think about is the floor.
There are a number of things that you have to factor in when it comes to the flooring in your rental property. Often landlords make the mistake of making the property their own, which although is a nice touch it isn’t necessary. You don’t have to necessarily pick a floor that you would want in your own home, remember, a rental property should be seen as a business.. What you do have to pick is a floor that can do the job and handle a potentially large amount of footfall over time. There are three key traits that the floor of a rental property must have; practicality, aesthetically pleasing and budget-friendly.
Practicality – You never really know what kind of tenant you’re going to get in the property, it could be a single person, it could be a big family.. so you have to be prepared for any level of footfall. It’s also important that the floor is easy to clean, for both the tenant whilst they’re living in the property and for yourself when the tenant leaves the property and you need to get it ready for the next one.
Aesthetics – As mentioned before, the floor doesn’t have to be something that you yourself love, but it does need to be something neutral and that easily accompanies your tenants décor choices and furnishings. It’s also important that the floor is easy to clean, for both the tenant whilst they’re living in the property and for yourself when the tenant leaves the property and you need to get it ready for the next one. . Plus, it does have to be appealing to people when you’re advertising the property, as something as simple as flooring may have the biggest effect when you come to letting it out.
Cost Effective – Being a landlord/landlady can be expensive, so whilst it’s important to try and save money you need to avoid cutting any corners and ending up with more expenses in the long run. A floor should be budget-friendly but you also need to remember that it is an investment too, so although it may seem a bit pricey at the time it will work out pretty cheap over time. Most floors come with a warranty of 15-20 years, it depends on the manufacturer and retailer that you purchase it from.
So what kind of flooring would we recommend and why?
Laminate Flooring – A firm favourite in many family homes, for various reasons. Not only is laminate flooring able to emulate real wood floors, it comes at a fraction of the price, ticking both the aesthetic and budget box for landlords. They are really easy to install and replace as well as being resistant to stains and scratches; so that’s the practicality sorted!
Vinyl Flooring – Another material that is really good for replicating other surfaces is vinyl. This floor allows you to get creative, you can have wood effect, tile effect, stone effect; literally any effect that you desire! Vinyl is also waterproof, which is great for any accidents or spillages that your tenants may have. It’s really easy to clean and is softer under foot than most floors, making it a really strong choice in the eyes of many property owners.
