Five features tenants want in a rental

Finding a tenant for your investment property in Perth’s current rental market can present some challenges.

To attract and keep good tenants you need to make sure your property offers tenants what they want. Here are five popular features tenants want in a rental.

1. Air conditioning

Western Australia’s scorching summers bring searing temperatures and heatwaves that can make living without air conditioning very uncomfortable.

If your investment property is without air conditioning consider having it installed. You don’t need it in every room of the home, a reverse cycle air conditioning unit mounted on the wall of the living area can make a huge difference to comfort levels in extreme heat.

2. Good quality fixtures and appliances

When the supply of rentals in the market is high ensuring your property is equipped with quality appliances can be the difference in finding a good tenant.

If basic kitchen appliances like the oven and stove are faulty or not of a particularly good quality, then tenants are more likely to shop around for a rental that better meets their needs. If some items in your rental are aging and not working as well as they once did, it’s worth looking into how you can upgrade them.

3. Connection

As the world becomes increasingly reliant on technology to perform a multitude of practical and recreational tasks, so too has tenant demand increased for rental properties to be sufficiently equipped to enable these connections.

Specifically, this means a good cable connection for wifi, a strong mobile signal for smart phones, and multiple power points to facilitate simultaneous connections across a multitude of platforms.

4. Parking

Owning a car is commonplace in Perth which means tenants often search for accommodation that includes a parking space. The convenience of having a safe, reliable place to park your car is a big plus, particularly in the CBD where the luxury of a designated parking space with your rental is less frequent than in suburbs further out. If you can offer a prospective tenant the security of a parking space you have an advantage.

5. Pet friendly

Tenants, like many home owners, can be very attached to their furry friends, so it’s no surprise that rental properties that accommodate pets are appealing.

If you are open to allowing pets to live in your rental property you open your investment up to a larger scope of tenants. As part of the Residential Tenancies Act, you are also within your right to request a pet bond (currently $260) to cover the cost of any fumigation of the premises that may be required at the termination of the tenancy.