As a landlord, you have a choice between offering furnished and unfurnished property to tenants. There are good reasons for both options, and there is a demand from tenants for both outcomes. Therefore, you should discuss your options with your agent to determine what is best for you.

However, over and above deciding between furnishing or not furnishing a property, you will likely provide kitchen appliances. Most tenants expect a minimum of white goods at home, and depending on the standard of service you wish to offer, you may decide to provide more appliances.

If you are not sure as to what to do concerning white goods, here are some tips on buying kitchen appliances.

Choose your appliances

You have plenty of devices to choose from when it comes to adding white goods to your kitchen. The most common appliances you can provide include:

·         Oven and hob

·         Refrigerator

·         Freezer

·         Washing machine

·         Dishwasher

·         Microwave

The main things to consider when adding kitchen appliances is what items do you want to offer, and how much do you want to spend. The dishwasher is the least essential of the items listed above, while a strong argument can be made for the presence of the other appliances.

For many landlords, the choice comes down to defining a balance between cost and quality. One thing to consider is the average lifespan of an appliance and the value for money on offer. The White Good Trade Association states cheap washing machines last for around 600 hours while expensive washing machines can last for approximately 10,000 hours.

There is a massive difference between these lifespans, and this is where you need to decide how you will spend your money. If you don’t want to spend too much money on providing white goods, you’ll think a cheap washing machine might be good enough.

Replacing washing machines costs money and takes time

Of course, before too long, there is a good chance the washing machine will stop working or develop problems. You will then need to repair or replace it. Given the difference in lifespans between low and high-end washing machines, you may buy several washing machines over the lifetime of the higher quality washing machine.

If you also add in the cost of hiring a plumber, and your tenant being unhappy at the washing machine not working, you may find you don’t save money by investing in cheap washing machines. In the long-term, investing in reliable and high-end appliances may save you money, and it will save you a lot of work, time and effort too.

You should also consider the energy rating of appliances. You need an EPC when letting property, and your EPC rating needs to be at least an E. Your choice of white goods impacts your EPC rating, and the higher the energy rating, the more money tenants can save on their energy bills. Investing in more energy efficiency white goods may help attract better tenants, and generate more rental income.

At Hunters Forest Hill, we know letting your home is hard, but we are here to assist you in the process. If you aim to buy, sell, let your home or rental property, we are active in New Cross, Peckham, Dulwich and Brockley, in addition to Forest Hill, so get in touch with one of the top three agents in London, and we will be happy to assist you.