Updating post from Reddit.
Hello
We are moving abroad and want to rent our mortgaged home out in the UK it will be for 2 years.
I have read a few things that say to do it non furnished and put everything in storage?
Will I need to renovate my house afterwards as I am guessing it will not be kept to the standard you would if it was your own home?
What % fees are nornal for rental companies?
Any other tips and advice would be greatly appreciated
Thank you
I rent and personally I would say do it unfurnished. 1 to protect your stuff and 2 because renters still like to make a house feel like their home and I’d hate to be sitting on someone else’s sofa everyday!
You shouldn’t need to renovate! I look after the house I live in as if it was my own. They should leave the property to the same standard they found it in when they leave and if they don’t, that’s why you have the deposit to use
Thank you for that that is useful. Oh yes I forgot the deposit, what is the standard deposit you have had to give in terms of months upfront?
I’m sure the typical deposit is 5/6 weeks worth of rent, so it’s normally a full months rent and a bit more. And that’s always been held in a government deposit scheme until I move out :)
Much appreciated thank you
Nooooo it’s illegal to take more than 5 weeks’ rent unless it’s a non-AST in which case 6 weeks
Depends on what it is where it is.
I’m in south London and 90% of the let’s are furnished. So if you rent unfurnished you are seriously scuppering your chances of finding tenants basically. Look on Rightmove for your local are and use the filter to see how many furnished vs unfurnished and see what’s most popular.
And when I say furnished don’t leave 1974 castoffs, it’s got to be decent otherwise it will lower the rental value. Don’t put cloth interior in a Rolls Royce and all that…
You might be better to only budget for 1 years rental. You need to give notice at the end of the first year. They might leave, they might not. If your tenants don’t wish to move out it can take a year and considerable expense to get your property back.
If you also factor in agents fees, remortgaging to buy to let, EPC, gas and electrical inspections and certification, landlord and rent protection insurance. Plus repairs to any damaged caused, is it worth it ?