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Landlord information: Furnished vs Unfurnished?

29/07/2025

As a Landlord, you will face an important decision, deciding whether you should rent out your property as furnished or unfurnished. This choice will be based around what specific type of tenant that you are aiming to attract, how fast you would like your property to be let and the income you are looking to bring in.

The English Private Landlord survey, created in 2024, found that there is an almost even split between what option Landlord typically go down. They found that 39% of landlords let out their properties unfurnished, whilst 31% of Landlords tend to rent out their properties as part-furnished and the last 30% keep their properties as fully furnished. This shows that there isn’t a clear path that you should go down and your decision should truly be based off your target market and long-term goals within the rental sector.

Furnished properties

Furnishing a property means that you as a landlord should be providing the essential furniture and White goods, this would mean that you provide sofas, beds, wardrobes and chairs etc. This type of set up is hugely appealing to prospect tenants who want to find a place that’s ready for them to move in without the hassle of bringing their own furniture. Remember, not all tenants will have their own furniture to bring in the first place. Because of the added convenience and value provided, you are often able to charge a slightly higher rent, which will help offset the initial cost of furnishing the home.

However, when you do provide a furnished property, you have to keep in mind that the furniture has to be of quite a high quality, this will prevent fast wear and tear but will slightly increase the initial cost. Furniture is also an extremely important detail for many, as nobody wants to truly live in a home with furniture that they don’t like, so on this note, by furnishing your property you could be deflecting initially interested tenants.

Unfurnished properties

Unfurnished properties on the other hand are going to be more effective for Landlord who seek long-term tenants and don’t an to have to worry about finding new ones every 6 months or less. Unfurnished homes mean that the tenants have a chance to create their own personalized space, allowing them to feel comfortable in their rental. Unlike unfurnished properties, you will not have to deal with any large upfront costs, which I ideal for many Landlords, especially if you’re just starting out.

On the other hand, however, because you are not spending that initial money, you won’t be able to charge a higher rate for your rent and your properties will become less appealing to short-let tenants.

In conclusion, before deciding whether to furnish your property, ask yourself: