Discussion Title: How to target your rental property toward students

Students make up a significant portion of the private rented sector (PRS). As such, they are an important demographic for buy-to-let landlords to target. With this in mind, there are a number of ways in which you can make your property more appealing to undergraduates and postgraduates alike. More often than not, students will want to be in close proximity to their campus (ideally within walking distance; if not, a short bus, train, tram or Tube ride away). They will also appreciate being within easy reach of a number of leisure and sporting activities – in the East London areas we work in, green space and recreational fields are never far away, in particular Victoria Park, Hackney Marshes and London Fields. Good local amenities – libraries, shops, mini-supermarkets, etc – will please students, while getting to the heart of the town/city centre with relative ease would be a considerable attraction. Doing a degree isn’t just about intense studying and months working on dissertations/essays, students will also be keen to experience the social side of university. Excellent access to bars, clubs, restaurants, cafes, cinemas, bowling alleys, sports grounds, shopping centres, theatres and various cultural events is pretty much guaranteed to increase your rental property’s appeal. In East London, of course, buzzing nightlife, attractions, places to eat and drink and cultural extravaganzas are ten a penny. Regular and reliable transport links – buses, National Rail, Tube, DLR and cycle routes – and properties close to university campuses are also commonplace in this part of the capital, which makes it a very shrewd place for investors to invest in. Takeaways and fast-food joints, too, might be an attractive proposition for students who are unable, or reluctant, to cook for themselves the whole time. This doesn’t mean greasy, high-fat, unhealthy food, though – East London’s diverse population means a wide range of authentic cuisines, everything from Caribbean takeaway dishes to Indian, Chinese, pan-Asian and high-quality fried chicken shops. Students won’t be so picky or discerning about décor, garden space, newly furnished bathrooms/kitchens or space for civilised dinner parties, but that doesn’t mean they’ll want to live somewhere that is unmaintained and falling apart at the seams. They’ll accept more wear and tear than your average tenant, but make sure you don’t take liberties. Plus, the better your property looks, the more you can charge in rent – this, in turn, will hugely improve your rental yields. Another thing to bear in mind is internet access, probably more crucial for this demographic than any other. Students will require (even demand) fast, regular broadband access. They’ll be streaming music from Spotify, watching shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime, online shopping, researching, updating their numerous social media accounts and keeping up to date with the latest news, and they won’t appreciate being interrupted while doing this. If you can offer tenants super-fast broadband, you’re already onto a winner. Polls have regularly shown that tenants see good internet access as the most important consideration when choosing rental properties. They will probably even be willing to pay a little bit more rent if it means their access to the internet is unlimited and uninterrupted. Investing in student property is a pretty safe bet. Demand will always be there, if you buy in the right places. It’s not without its risks – and you’re unlikely to see a long-term return on your investment – but regular rental income is guaranteed and you shouldn’t have too much difficulty in getting tenants in place to begin with. For further advice on maintaining your buy-to-let property, please contact Amilli Property on: 0203 189 1925. In addition, you can find out what monthly rent you could be achieving with our instant online valuation tool. https://blog.amilliproperty.com/target-rental-property-toward-students/