Furnished or unfurnished: furnishing a let in Bournemouth

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In Bournemouth, furnished lets suit the people who move here for work, study or a season, and the town's many flats; unfurnished lets suit families settling in the suburbs who bring their own things. If you furnish, upholstered furniture and mattresses must meet the 1988 fire safety regulations, and a detailed inventory is your evidence when the tenancy ends. A furnished flat can also be let for 28 nights or more through Flexiestays, as a serviced let rather than a tenancy.

This guide covers the practical and legal points at the time of writing. It is general information and not legal, tax or financial advice. Ask an accountant how furnishing and replacement costs are treated for tax.

What tenants expect

Who is likely to rent your property decides the answer.

A flat near Bournemouth station, the hospital or the universities, or on the West Cliff, sits in a market where furniture is expected. A three-bed semi in Parkstone or Christchurch more often lets unfurnished. Our furnished or unfurnished comparison sets out the trade-offs side by side.

What furnished means

There is no legal definition, so say exactly what is included in the advert and the inventory. A furnished let usually has:

• beds and mattresses, wardrobes and drawers;
• a sofa, armchair, dining table and chairs;
• curtains or blinds, light fittings and floor coverings;
• white goods: fridge freezer, washing machine, cooker;
• sometimes kitchen equipment, a microwave and a television.

Part-furnished usually means white goods, curtains and floor coverings, perhaps a bed or a table. Unfurnished still usually includes the cooker and floor coverings.

Fire safety: the 1988 regulations

The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 apply to furniture supplied in the course of letting. They cover upholstered items: sofas, armchairs, beds and headboards, mattresses, cushions, pillows and loose covers. Each must meet the fire resistance tests. Compliant furniture normally carries a permanent label sewn in, and new furniture also a display label at sale.

Points that catch landlords out:

• No label, no use. If you cannot show an item complies, replace it.
• Second-hand furniture must meet the same standard. Charity shop and online finds often lack labels.
• Pre-1950 furniture is outside the regulations.
• Tenants' own furniture is theirs, not yours.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, gas and electrical safety apply whether or not you furnish.

The inventory

In a furnished let the inventory does most of the work at the end of the tenancy. It should:

1. list every item, room by room, with its condition described plainly;
2. include dated photographs of each room and close-ups of existing marks;
3. record meter readings, keys and alarm tests;
4. be given to the tenant at check-in with time to comment;
5. be matched by a check-out report in the same format.

Deposit scheme adjudicators decide disputes on this evidence. Our deposits guide explains deductions and the dispute process.

Fair wear and tear

Furniture wears. A tenant is responsible for damage, not for the ordinary decline of an item over the tenancy. In judging the line, look at:

• the age and quality of the item at check-in;
• the length of the tenancy and the number of occupiers;
• whether the mark is from use or from misuse.

A deduction reflects the remaining life of the item. A five-year-old sofa with a burn is not grounds for the price of a new one. Budget to replace soft furnishings and mattresses between tenancies anyway.

Furnishing well, and not too much

• Durable and plain. Hard-wearing fabrics, washable paint, simple pieces that are easy to replace.
• Beds and mattresses matter most. New mattresses with protectors are the first thing tenants notice.
• Storage. Flats in converted villas often lack built-in cupboards.
• Leave space. Tenants will bring their own things; a crowded flat is harder to let.

Between tenancies

Furnished lets need a short routine every time a tenant leaves:

1. Check-out against the inventory, with photographs of every room.
2. Replace or clean soft furnishings and mattress protectors; check every upholstered item still has its label.
3. Test appliances, and replace anything unreliable before the next tenant finds it.
4. Update the inventory with any new items, their condition and photographs.
5. Deep clean, so the next check-in starts from a standard you can hold the next tenant to.

Furnished lets of 28 nights or more through Flexiestays

A furnished flat does not have to be let on a tenancy. Flexiestays, part of our group, lets furnished flats in Bournemouth to guests for 28 nights or more: project workers and contractors, people relocating, healthcare visitors, corporate teams and households placed by an insurer. These are serviced lets with bills included and no fixed term, and are not assured tenancies, because the property is not the guest's only or main home. A guest who makes a flat their home for months may be a tenant whatever the booking is called, so we use the right agreement for each stay.

For owners, that means a furnished flat can earn through the winter or between tenancies. Flexiestays charges 8% on the bookings it brings to managed properties. Our long term lets and winter lets pages explain how it works, and our guide to long stays and tenancies sets out the legal difference. Guests book at Flexiestays.

Deciding

Start with the tenant, then the property, then the cost. Furnishing ties up money in items that wear out and need replacing, and it adds to the inventory and to the scope for disputes. Letting unfurnished widens the pool to families and long-stay tenants with their own things, but can leave a central flat competing with furnished lets nearby. A rental valuation tells you what the flat would let for both ways and who is looking for it, and our winter lets guide covers the seasonal option.