Preparing Your Property For Tenants: 6 Steps To Perfecting Rental Success

Getting your property in a strong position prior to tenants moving in is absolutely essential to start the tenant relationship off in a healthy way and to avoid the hassle of resolving issues after they’ve settled in. One of the most important steps in this process is arranging a professional end of lease cleaning, even if the property is changing hands rather than ending a lease. This ensures the home is thoroughly cleaned, hygienic, and presented at its best. We’re here with six key components to sort out before the tenancy begins, many of which are legal requirements, to help you create a safe, welcoming, and happy home for your new tenants.

Property Clean

Firstly, a full property move in clean is absolutely essential, from a hygiene perspective, as well as comfort for your tenants. This should include a deep clean and disinfection of every room, including the following: 

General

• Dusting and disinfecting all surfaces, including shelves, skirting boards, light fixtures and windowsills
• Pulling out furniture to clean the floor and wall
• Vacuuming all carpets and skirting boards
• Sweeping and mopping all hard floors
• Cleaning the inside and outside of windows
• Wiping down all furniture and cleaning the upholstery 
• Have the carpets cleaned 
• Removing cobwebs
• Removing marks from walls (and painting if necessary) 
• Cleaning the washing machine seals and running on a hot cycle with a cleaner
• Whilst you’re cleaning, ensure all windows are open to get fresh air running through the property

Kitchen

• Deep cleaning the hob, oven and extraction fan
• Cleaning the inside and outside of all kitchen drawers and cupboards with disinfectant
• Defrosting, then cleaning, the fridge and freezer
• Disinfecting all countertops and splashbacks
• Disinfecting the microwave
• Cleaning the seals on the dishwasher and running with a cleaning product
• Using a drain unblocker on the sink and thoroughly cleaning

Bathroom

• Deep clean the bath and shower, toilet, sink and showerhead
• Remove any mould or limescale
• Use drain unblocker on the sink and shower
• Clean and polish all mirrors 
• Thoroughly mop the floors
• Wipe down tile grout 

Garden

• Cut grass
• Remove weeds
• Clear any pathways 
• Clear the gutters 

Of course depending on the property there will be extra areas that need cleaning, but your tenant should be entering a spotless and sanitised property. 

Inventory and Photos

Once you have a spotless property, you need to take a full inventory along with images. This will include a full description of every room of the house, from the flooring to condition of the walls, fixtures, fittings, furniture and any appliances, along with meter readings. It’s essential along with detailed descriptions of everything, including any small marks, to have photos of every corner of your property. You need this as security for when the tenant moves out, as they could claim that the damage was already there if they had caused an issue. It also makes sure you have evidenced everything in the property in case anything may be taken. 

When your tenant moves in, you’ll send them a copy of the inventory, then they’ll need to either say they agree with the inventory and photos, or they can dispute if they spot any issues. This is usually done within a week so no new damage can be accounted for. This step is essential to protect yourself and the property throughout the tenancy. 

EPC Inspection & Fire Safety 

Next, you will need an EPC, or Energy Performance Certificate. This is an assessment of how efficient your property is, with ratings going from A (most efficient) through to G (least efficient). It looks at construction, lighting, insulation, heating systems, boilers, water usage and more, then shows where there is area for improvement. Legally, the minimum EPC rating that you can have to rent out a private property is an E, however many tenants look for scores higher than this as it will reduce their carbon footprint and also reduce their monthly bills. So, have your EPC inspection within plenty of time to give you opportunities to improve the score. If you’ve invested in a BMV property, typically you’ll need to make some improvements, as some of the components are very likely to be outdated. 

You also need to have a full fire safety check, including fire detection and alarms, maintaining fire safety equipment, checking carbon monoxide alarms, ensuring unobstructed escape routes are available, and also checking gas appliances. You are responsible for the safety of your tenants and so all of these are absolute musts to get your property ready for tenants. 

Appliance Checks

Landlords also have a legal responsibility for all appliances in their property to be safe. Along with the gas safety checks, any electrical appliances need to be checked, as well as PAT testing for portable appliances. PAT testing is needed for things like kettles, toasters and any other appliances that are portable, then the electrical appliances that need to be checked are the oven and hob, fridge freezer and washing machine. 

Make It Homely 

Something that can really help to get tenants in, as well as help them to feel at home, is to add some components to create a welcoming space. These things won’t cost a lot, but can make a real difference. Here are some ideas on what you can add to warm up the space: 

• Wall art prints to match the space can help to add something unique to the walls
• Adding warmer shades of light bulbs rather than bright white 
• Hanging mirrors can help rooms to feel lighter as well as saving the tenant a job 
• Making sure there are adequate storage solutions so the home isn’t cluttered 
• Adding a table and chairs set to a patio if there is a garden 
• Without making too much of a statement, choosing paint other than white will help to create warmth 
• Choosing blinds that are blackout for bedrooms can help to make the space more comfortable at night 
• Adding some texture to the walls like panelling 
• Choose comfortable furniture, like a sofa and bed

Welcome Package 

Another lovely touch is a welcome package for your tenants. Often it can be disorientating when someone moves into a property to figure out where everything is, how it works and the recommended providers for electric, WiFi, water, etc. So, creating a little welcome pack, along with a few essentials, will help to start things off right. Here is some inspiration of what to include: 

• Copies of their tenancy agreement and information about their security deposits
• A list of all points of contact if there are any issues with the apartment 
• Copies of all the safety inspection certificates 
• Where the meter readings need to be taken from (or any information about smart meters if you have them) 
• A guide for all electrical appliances, particularly washing machine, oven and dishwasher 
• Recommendations on the best providers for electric, gas and water 
• Information about local amenities: closest post office or post box, supermarket, best pubs, lunch spots or restaurants
• Guidance on how to look after the property 
• Some cleaning supplies, a personalised welcome mat, baked goods, tea and coffee are nice extras to help them settle in 

Final Thoughts

Prioritise getting your property in the best possible condition before renting it out to not only maximise your rental yield but also start a positive relationship with your tenants. Hiring a professional cleaning company ensures the space is spotless, hygienic, and ready for immediate occupancy, leaving a strong first impression and reducing the likelihood of complaints or maintenance issues later.

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