Wooden floors are top rented home improvement

In order to attract wealthier tenants who are prepared to pay higher torrents, landlords need to improve their rental homes. The most requested improvement that tenants ask for is solid wood or engineered wood floors.

Dawn Smith, from Militarybyowner.com, a company which finds home rentals for military personnel in the USA, advises landlords to improve their properties to attract better tenants. There are some obvious safety improvements that older properties need, such as a safe electrics, the removal of lead and mould and secure locks. Other improvements are not strictly necessary but attract better tenants.

On the top of Smith’s list of requested features from tenants is hardwood floors. Wood floors are more practical than carpets, which can easily be stained and often need replacing between tenancies.

Bathroom floors should be vinyl or another hard floor covering that is both easy to clean and waterproof. Tenants prefer kitchens with modern appliances, and appreciate freshly painted rooms in neutral colours.

Gardens should be easy to maintain, especially for busy tenants that don’t have time for much gardening. Artificial grass is a low-maintenance alternative to a natural lawn.

Smith advises landlords to retain some of their improvement budgets for when repairs and appliance replacements are needed.

While Smith operates in the USA market, her advice is also applicable to UK landlords. Installing solid wood flooring in a Chester property is recommended to landlords who want to charge higher rents and to attract people who aspire to live in premium-quality rented homes.