Lets need 'wow factor'

Buy-to-let landlords have been urged to inject some 'wow-factor' into their properties to make them stand out in the rental market.

Award-winning interior design consultancy At Home said that the first priority for anyone looking to market a property should be to ensure it is "clean and tidy".

Beyond basic cleanliness, however, senior At Home designer Hugh Jamieson said there are a number of measures landlords can take to give their property a 'wow factor'.

"You do need a bit of wow factor to make it a bit special," he asserted.

"This could be a fantastic mirror, or paintings or photographs - something like that. You want it to be comfortable rather than dreary, and practical, not boring … Then you are likely to get a higher premium and it will certainly rent out much quicker."

Official figures from the Residential Rental Price Index (RRPI) show that the average price for a UK let in February 2008 was £608 per month.

News posted on 28th April, 2008