The biggest turn-offs for prospective renters

A dirty property has been identified as the most off-putting factor for people looking for a new home to rent.

New figures from home furnishing retailer Terry’s Fabrics, which conducted the research into the biggest interior design pet peeves for renters, suggest that many renters are deterred by bad smells and damp, put off by an overgrown garden, while over a third of potential renters would look elsewhere when faced with a property that has not been tastefully decorated.

1.       The house being dirty (49%)

2.       Bad smells (46%)

3.       Damp (43%)

4.       Unkempt garden (37%)

5.       Property was badly decorated (35%)

When looking just at the aesthetics and decoration of a property, an old fashioned kitchen or bathroom would put off almost half of renters signing on the dotted line.

The top five interior pet peeves that would put off renters when viewing a new property were:

1.       An old fashioned kitchen (48%)

2.       An old fashioned bathroom (47%)

3.       An old fashioned bedroom (28%)

4.       Brightly coloured walls (27%)

5.       Bright or patterned carpets (26%)

Paul McGuiness, owner at Terry’s Fabrics, commented: “It is clear that the look and feel of a property can have a big effect on how prospective renters feel.

“Rather than investing in a brand new kitchen or bathroom suite, a quick update of the property’s decor could make all of the difference.

“Adding more accessories such as soft furnishings and blinds or adding a lick of paint might be the difference between securing a tenant or not.”

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