Every landlord wants to achieve a strong rental return.
But achieving the best rent doesn’t necessarily mean advertising your property at the highest possible figure.
The most successful rental properties tend to combine the right asking rent, excellent presentation, effective marketing and careful contract-holder selection.
Price too low and you could be missing out on rental income. Price too high and the property could remain empty, potentially costing considerably more than the additional rent you were hoping to achieve.
At Conrad Estate Agents, we help landlords across South Wales understand the rental value of their properties and how relatively small improvements can sometimes make a significant difference.
Here are some of the most important factors to consider.
1. Start With an Accurate Rental Valuation
Before advertising a property, you need to understand what the current market is likely to support.
It’s easy to search property portals and find the highest-priced similar property available.
However, an advertised rent isn’t necessarily the rent that will ultimately be achieved.
A professional rental valuation should consider factors including:
- Location
- Property type
- Number of bedrooms
- Condition
- Size
- Parking
- Garden
- Furnished or unfurnished
- Energy efficiency
- Current competition
- Local contract-holder demand
Rental markets can also vary considerably within relatively small geographical areas.
Understanding the local market is essential.
2. Don’t Let an Extra £25 Cost You Hundreds
One of the biggest mistakes landlords can make is concentrating entirely on the monthly rent rather than the annual return.
Consider a property realistically worth £1,000 per month.
A landlord decides to advertise it at £1,050 to maximise the rent.
If that additional £50 results in the property remaining vacant for just one extra month, the landlord has lost £1,000 in rent.
Even if they subsequently earn £1,050 per month, it will take a considerable amount of time to recover the lost income.
The objective should therefore be:
The strongest sustainable rent with the shortest sensible void period.
That’s very different from simply advertising at the highest possible price.
3. Presentation Matters in Lettings Too
Landlords sometimes assume presentation is only important when selling a property.
It isn’t.
Contract-holders compare properties online in exactly the same way buyers do.
If two similar properties are available for approximately the same rent, the better-presented property is likely to receive more interest.
Before marketing, consider:
- Fresh decoration where required
- Professional cleaning
- Removing unwanted furniture
- Tidying gardens
- Completing minor repairs
- Replacing damaged fixtures
- Cleaning carpets and flooring
- Ensuring kitchens and bathrooms present well
The property doesn’t necessarily need expensive upgrades.
It needs to feel clean, maintained and ready to move into.
4. Professional Photography Can Increase Enquiries
Your property is competing for attention online.
A prospective contract-holder may scroll through dozens of listings on Rightmove and Zoopla before deciding which properties to enquire about.
Dark photographs, cluttered rooms and poor angles can make a good property appear considerably less attractive than it actually is.
Professional marketing should show:
- Room sizes clearly
- Natural light
- Key features
- Outdoor space
- Kitchen and bathroom condition
- Parking where applicable
A floor plan can also help prospective contract holders understand the property’s layout before arranging a viewing.
The more accurately and attractively the property is presented, the better the quality of enquiries you’re likely to receive.
5. Complete Repairs Before Marketing
If you already know something is broken, deal with it before the property is let.
That dripping tap you’ve been meaning to repair?
Fix it.
Loose cupboard handle?
Fix it.
Damaged sealant around the bath?
Replace it.
Small defects can create the impression that a property hasn’t been maintained properly.
More importantly, starting an occupation contract with a list of outstanding jobs immediately creates additional administrative burden and can affect the contract holder’s first impression of their new home.
A properly prepared property makes for a much cleaner handover.
6. Kitchens and Bathrooms Matter
You don’t necessarily need to install a new kitchen or bathroom to achieve a good rent.
But both rooms should be clean and functional.
Relatively inexpensive improvements can sometimes make a substantial visual difference:
- Replacing cupboard handles
- Fresh sealant
- Repainting walls
- Replacing damaged flooring
- Updating tired light fittings
- Improving lighting
- Replacing heavily worn fixtures
Before undertaking major refurbishment purely to increase the rent, it’s worth obtaining professional advice.
Spending £10,000 to achieve an additional £25 per month is unlikely to be particularly attractive.
7. Neutral Decoration Usually Works Best
Rental properties need to appeal to a broad audience.
Neutral colours allow prospective contract-holders to imagine their own furniture and belongings in the property.
That doesn’t mean every wall needs to be plain white.
The objective is simply to avoid highly personalised decoration that significantly limits the property’s appeal.
Durable, easy-to-maintain finishes can also reduce maintenance costs between occupations.
8. Consider Whether to Accept Pets
Pet-friendly rental properties can sometimes attract significant interest because the available supply for pet owners may be more limited.
However, accepting pets isn’t automatically appropriate for every property.
A landlord should consider:
- Property type
- Garden
- Lease restrictions where applicable
- Flooring
- Size of the property
- Suitability for the particular animal
Rather than having an automatic yes-or-no policy, landlords may benefit from considering suitable applications individually where appropriate.
9. Parking Can Have a Significant Impact
Parking is particularly valuable in areas where on-street spaces are limited.
If your property has:
- A driveway
- Allocated parking
- A garage
- Permit parking
- Off-road parking
Make sure it’s clearly highlighted in the marketing.
Features landlords sometimes take for granted can be major deciding factors for prospective contract-holders.
10. Gardens Need to Be Manageable
A garden can increase the appeal of a rental property, particularly for families and pet owners.
But it should be manageable.
An extremely high-maintenance garden can create problems for both the landlord and the contract holder.
Before letting, consider cutting back overgrown vegetation, repairing fences and ensuring the outdoor space is reasonably easy to maintain.
Clearly documenting the garden’s condition within the inventory is also important.
11. Energy Efficiency Is Becoming More Important
Energy costs remain an important consideration for households.
Prospective contract-holders may therefore pay more attention to:
- EPC rating
- Heating system
- Double glazing
- Insulation
- Boiler age
- General energy efficiency
Improving efficiency can potentially make a property more attractive while also protecting it against future changes in energy-efficiency requirements.
However, improvements should always be considered based on the individual property and likely return.
12. Choose the Right Contract-Holder, Not Just the Fastest One
A property receiving ten applications on the first day sounds fantastic.
But speed shouldn’t replace proper due diligence.
The objective isn’t simply to get someone into the property as quickly as possible.
It’s to establish a sustainable occupation with a suitable contract-holder.
Good referencing may consider:
- Identity
- Affordability
- Employment
- Credit history
- Previous landlord references
- Supporting documentation
- Guarantors where appropriate
A few extra days spent finding and referencing the right applicant can be considerably more valuable than rushing the process.
13. Reduce the Time Between Contract-Holders
Landlords often focus on increasing rent while overlooking void periods.
Reducing voids can have a major effect on annual profitability.
If a property rents for £1,000 per month, every week it remains empty represents roughly £230 of lost gross rent.
Planning ahead can help.
Where appropriate, marketing can be prepared before the existing occupation ends, allowing viewings and referencing to be coordinated efficiently while still respecting the existing contract-holder’s rights and agreed access arrangements.
14. Review the Rent Regularly
Rental values change over time.
A property let several years ago may now be significantly below the current market.
However, rent increases in Wales need to be handled correctly and in accordance with the occupation contract and applicable legislation.
Landlords should therefore periodically review:
- Current rent
- Comparable properties
- Local demand
- Property condition
- Length of occupation
- Current legislation
A rent review doesn’t automatically mean the rent should increase.
Sometimes, retaining an excellent long-term contract holder at slightly below the absolute maximum market rent can be commercially sensible.
The Highest Rent Isn’t Always the Best Return
This is perhaps the most important point.
Successful landlords should think about total investment performance, rather than simply headline monthly rent.
For example, consider:
Property A: £1,050 per month but regularly experiences void periods.
Property B: £1,000 per month with a reliable long-term contract-holder and minimal voids.
Property B could easily produce the stronger net return over several years.
Other costs also matter:
- Maintenance
- Management
- Insurance
- Compliance
- Mortgage costs
- Tax
- Refurbishment
- Void periods
Rental income is only one part of the equation.
Should I Refurbish Before Letting My Property?
It depends on the property’s current condition.
If a property is dated but perfectly functional, a full refurbishment may not be necessary.
However, if spending a sensible amount improves the achievable rent, reduces future maintenance and attracts stronger applicants, it may be worthwhile.
Before undertaking major work, we’d recommend establishing:
Current rental value → likely refurbishment cost → expected rental value afterwards.
That gives you a much clearer idea of whether the investment makes financial sense.
Find Out How Much Your Property Could Rent For
If you’re a landlord wondering “How much rent can I get for my property?”, Conrad Estate Agents can provide an up-to-date rental valuation.
We’ll consider the property’s location, condition, current competition and local demand before recommending a realistic marketing figure.
We can also advise on whether any improvements are likely to make a meaningful difference before bringing the property to market.
Whether you’re an experienced portfolio landlord or preparing to rent out your first property, our team can provide tenant-finding, rent collection, and fully managed letting services.
Contact Conrad Estate Agents today to arrange a free rental valuation and discover what your property could achieve in the current market.
