As a landlord, you want to ensure your property remains in optimal condition for as long as possible. This can keep current tenants happy and help lure new ones when a tenancy agreement ends.
Aside from keeping on top of the general maintenance and ensuring tenants respect your home, you can keep the property at its best in various ways. From providing robust furnishings to limiting pets and stringent tenant vetting to frequent inspections, much can be done to ensure your rental property isn’t tarnished by those living there.
One particular area worth considering is the flooring. With the potential for back-to-back tenancies, you may not get many opportunities for a property overhaul. We all know that flooring takes more punishment than many other aspects of the home, so you want it to be long-lasting, easy to maintain, and handle high levels of footfall.
So, what do you choose? Of course, you have to consider budget, style, installation time and more, but we have compiled a collection of flooring types for your rental property so you can make an informed decision.
Is carpet a suitable flooring for rental properties?
Carpet is universally liked. Its variety of patterns, colours and softness put it at the top of many lists. Affordable and able to accompany any room style, it’s easy to see why it has become a default choice for many rooms. However, these beneficial attributes also have some potential negatives.
Cleaning carpet becomes a regular chore as it becomes easy for dirt and debris to nestle within the fibres. This could be a task that tenants put to the bottom of their priorities, leaving you with a dusty, musty carpet come the end of the tenancy agreement. Moreover, a spill or stain can cause lasting damage that can sometimes be more than just cosmetic.
One other factor to consider is the risk of allergies. Just like carpets can harbour dust, dirt and other debris, they can also trap allergens within their fibres. One sudden, about an allergy, we could see very unhappy tenants.
Are wood floors suitable for rental homes?
Wood might be an option if you want more authenticity and choose rustic or classic over contemporary. Stunning to look at and excellent for adding a little extra character to the home, wood flooring has merits. Unfortunately, installing it might be expensive and require sanding and sealing every few years. This isn’t a tenant’s task, so it’s another cost for you to factor in.
Is laminate flooring suitable for a rented property?
Laminate flooring is a cheap option used in kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, and anywhere else. Perhaps avoid the bathroom, though, and maybe even the kitchen, as laminate isn’t waterproof.
With many colours, a simple installation and an easy cleaning method, it is often a go-to choice for many, and we can see why. It would be worth factoring in that due to its wooden core, it could get damaged without the signs of damage being seen for a while. When the floor starts to break or weaken, do you notice it hasn’t been looked after? At this point, you have to consider the cost of replacing the entire floor. This damage comes from a combination of things, but commonly, the floor gets wet. If spillages are not dealt with quickly, the liquid seeps into the flooring, causing costly damage.
Is luxury vinyl tiling suitable for rental properties?
Luxury Vinyl Tiling, or LVT, is a popular option for rental homes. Suitable for bedroom flooring, bathroom flooring, living rooms and even the kitchen, it provides true versatility. Easy to maintain and highly durable, the long-term cost-effectiveness of LVT flooring is evident. Where the other flooring types we have mentioned might need replacing in the event of spillage or damage, LVT can be easily cleaned and restored to its best quickly. Able to replicate wood, stone or abstract patterns, it delivers a natural look at a fraction of the price.
Should I install stone flooring in my rental home?
Stone flooring can look very classy in some rooms and vastly out of place in others. As a result, it could be a consideration for some areas. Stunning to look at and available in various colours and patterns, it gives a touch of character to a property. However, the cost and risk of injury can both be high. If you have small children, stone flooring is often a no-go. A slip on such a surface can result in injury that may not be found on softer flooring options like carpet.
Stone flooring is waterproof and easy to maintain, so it ticks many boxes for landlords. However, the installation cost and potential risk could be a deterrent.
There are a host of options suitable for flooring in a rental property. You need to assess how much you are willing to spend, how much work you want the installation to involve and whether you trust the tenants to keep on top of keeping it well-maintained. Fundamental errors in care can mean you will have to spend vast sums in the future attempting to get a new floor installed or the original one restored. Our insights into flooring types will give you an indication of what may be best.
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