Q&A: to furnish or not to furnish?
I'm going abroad for a couple of years and want to rent out my three bedroom flat. Should I rent it furnished or unfurnished?
David Cohen from Richard James and Co suggests:
It is an interesting dilemma whether to rent furnished or unfurnished.
Sometimes circumstances dictate what you should o. Clearly if the apartment is already furnished with appropriate furniture, it would be an inconvenience to unfurnish.
Conversely, if it is unfurnished, there is a substantial expense to purchase all the necessary furnishings and effects. Generally, it is possible to obtain similar rent whether a property is furnished or unfurnished. Prospective tenants with their own furniture may even pay more for an unfurnished flat. The majority of properties on the market are furnished (about 70%) which roughly matches the number of people who are looking (also about 70%). It may therefore take longer to rent unfurnished, but a similar price is achievable.
My suggestion, in your particular case, is that if the property is already furnished with appropriate furniture, you should definately rent it furnished as it will probably rent quicker and will probably rent quicker and will be less hassle. If the furniture is extremely valuable, antique or of personal importance, you must take great care to access the calibre of the tenants, or arrange for those items of personal importance to be removed.
