Garden improvements could boost tenant demand
Making improvements to gardens and outdoor areas could help landlords boost the appeal of their properties among potential tenants.
Jim Hustwit, UK country manager at MyHammer, a website for finding professional tradespeople, said gardens should be a key consideration when carrying out home renovations.
"The garden is one of the areas which is often overlooked in terms of adding value to a house," he insisted.
Depending on the terms of the agreement their tenants have signed, a landlord may or may not be responsible for the upkeep of outside areas.
However, landlords who spend time upgrading garden furniture, cutting grass or planting flowers, or who choose a residential lettings agent that will keep gardens tidy as part of their property management services, could reap the rewards in terms of greater interest from renters.
They may therefore be in a better position to negotiate higher rents, particularly as spring gets underway and tenants look for properties with attractive outdoor spaces for the summer months.
Indeed, Mr Hustwit said the gardening category on his website starts to "explode" at this time of year.
"We get a lot of decking requests," he remarked. "Decking is quite fashionable, so a lot of people are adding decking to the garden areas.
"If it has become overgrown in the winter, they will get people in to tidy it up or have a complete landscape job."
Landlords should make sure, however, that any improvements they do carry out are professionally done.
The National Home Improvement Council explained recently that poor or inadequate alterations to properties can have a significant impact on their value in the future.
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