Why you should consider letting your home internet-ready

A good broadband connection is one of the main amenities tenants expect from a rental property and something you, as a landlord, should take care of.

If you would like to increase the attractiveness of your rental property to your current and future tenants, good, super-fast broadband is one way in which you can do that – now more so than ever.

This is due to the fact that more people than ever are working exclusively from home, or at least on a hybrid basis, and it’s becoming increasingly evident that strong internet connectivity is essential in order to survive in today’s world.

Students renting a home will also require a good internet connection for when they want to complete assignments as well as browsing social media, using streaming services such as Netflix and iPlayer, gaming, and more.

Fortunately, managing broadband is relatively simple and can mainly be left up to the tenant once set up.

Why should I provide broadband in my lets?

Firstly, you’ll find it much easier to get your home let to new tenants if you are able to offer fast broadband speeds and reliable connections from day one. As mentioned above, many now have jobs that are home-based which means that they’ll be reliant on fast internet to carry out their daily work, which makes it even more of a must-have than it was before.

This may even be a deal-breaker for many prospective tenants, and potentially the top priority in many cases. Most places offer fast broadband speeds nowadays, however, it’s something that largely depends on geography and other variables.

There’s nothing that requires you to provide broadband in your rental homes, but it could be especially appealing to tenants looking to have internet set up from the day they move in.

If you have reliable and fast broadband speeds in your area, use this to your advantage by making it known in your sales pitch.

Cultivate a good reputation

Your tenant might want to install an IPS or fibre optic cable if you haven’t done it yet yourself. This would typically involve drilling an unsightly hole and additional cable management to hide the visible cables. This process is not only noisy, but your tenant may then decide to run cables to place access points in optimal locations or perhaps connect other equipment, such as network printers.

This will cause quite a disturbance, so to avoid any noise complaints, damages, and costly repairs it would be a good idea to provide internet and WiFi yourself. You can run cables and mount access points on the wall, which is a discreet and effective way to install Wi-Fi while maintaining your property’s aesthetic.

Enhanced conversion rates

Inclusive internet for rental properties is a major draw for tenants, and there’s an increasing amount of evidence to suggest this.

Think of your target market. If students and young professionals – typically heavy internet users - are your main target demographic, they are typically accustomed to modern conveniences and interested in the latest technology.

According to Knight Frank’s 2021 Student Accommodation Report, quality Wi-Fi was at the top of consideration when paying a premium price for their accommodation. 

Other research also shows that 96% of young UK professionals are unsatisfied with their Wi-Fi access when they move into a new property and 75% reported that they would be more willing to rent a property that had pre-installed internet access.

Additional value

Given the importance of broadband, you may want to pre-install a package before you start advertising your property to prospective tenants.

Offering fast broadband connection will likely improve your chances of occupying the home quickly and attracting your ideal tenant. Property portals specifically include broadband speeds in listings as people want to see what speeds are possible in a property, and what would suit their connectivity needs.

Time is money

As a landlord, you are likely to have a fair amount on your plate, so finding a reliable broadband supplier can save you time, money, and hassle. Opt for a provider that runs a 24/7 tenant helpdesk – this will take care of everything and prevent hours lost to being on the phone with countless high street providers when different properties have different broadband connections.

Not only do you run the risk of losing time by providing poor-quality internet connectivity, but your reputation might be at stake as well since a tenant could take to public forums, such as social media, to lodge a complaint about your poor broadband and WiFi connections, which will only make the tenancy more strenuous.

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