When you are renting a property, you will inevitably find things with that property that you would like to be a little different, or a little better than it currently is, but as you don’t own the property, you might think those improvements are nothing more than a wish list.
Well, that doesn’t need to be the case.
For landlords, it’s in your best interests to have your property looked after and well maintained to keep its rental value optimised, and its re-sale value the best it can be.
Further, a happy and content tenant will be more inclined to go above and beyond to look after your property like it was their own and make little value-adding enhancements along the way.
Making a house a home
If you’re a tenant looking to make the place you live in more like a home, there are a bunch of things you can do, but in most case, you do need to ask the landlord first.
You may be surprised, in some cases, the landlord might even cover some (or all) of the costs.
There are many examples of the kinds of things people like to improve when they live in a place, regardless of it being a rental or their own.
We find often it’s things like installing a lawn where there is none or planting a vegetable garden or plants in the ground to add some beautiful green to the yard, and a feeling of space and nature.
What’s in it for the landlord?
It’s an excellent sign for landlords when tenants want to make value-adding improvements to the property they are in because
1; It can increase the value of the property.
2; It’s a sign from the tenant that they are happy where they are, and they want to make the property feel more like their home, even if they don’t own it.
The more comfortable a tenant feels, the more likely they will stay in the property for the long term.
We generally encourage our landlords to permit value-adding enhancements to their property, and usually to consider contributing to the cost of the improvement.
Building long-term relationships
Essentially the relationship between landlord and tenant is symbiotic. They are both reliant on each other in one way or another, so it makes sense to be considerate to the other’s needs.
At the end of the day, the landlord owns the property and it is ultimately up to them if any changes are approved, but in the interests of keeping the property filled with happy tenants, it is usually a great opportunity to support any tenant who wants to improve the property and make it a better place to live.
So, if you’re a tenant looking to do a few little things to make your place feel more like a home, don’t hesitate to ask the question of us, and if you’re a landlord, always remember a happy tenant provides stability and assurance to your investment.