Forums Forums Wirral Information Ask - Wiki Wirral Fitted wardrobes or not?

Sorry if Ive asked this before although I searched and couldnt find anything. I'm renovating my parents small bungalow in Neston ready to let unfurnished in a month or so. The first estate agent said rip out the large white painted floor to ceiling wardrobes in the bedrooms because they're dated externally, and not very pretty inside. Leave the rooms looking modern and empty ,inkeeping with the renovation . A second EA ,a woman, said no, people are desperate for storage .Renters value that over looks.I would have thought most renters taking unfurnished, would have their own bedroom suites , but perhaps Im wrong. The larger bedroom could also accommodate someones small wardrobe and dressing table if they had one, although the room would probably look a bit cluttered and unmatched. The bungalow on the other hand doesnt have any 'under the stairs' or 'utility room' or box room for putting ironing boar or vacs.
I cant wait and ask a prospective tennant because this decision has to be made now before the rewire and stuff.
I know 'bare canvas' will suit some, and extra storage others, but which choice do you think will appeal to the majority?
The EA'sdont agree either on curtains . One says leave the old colored ones up till the tennants can buy what they want, and the other says go and buy some off white new ones that will go with everything. What do you expect if you rent please, Id be grateful for some opinions?

I would personally leave the built in wardrobes. Is there a way you can paint them both inside and out to make them at least look a tad more pleasing? If you were to remove them, would you have to re-plaster the areas that may become damaged if you remove them, because that could be costly.

Also as long as the curtains aren't torn or ripped I would leave them where they are. The likelihood is that any incoming tenant will put their own up anyway, and just put yours in the loft.

As long as the place is clean and you're not asking too much in rent you should be fine. We rented out my father in laws house after he'd died and left the built in wardrobes, carpets & curtains, and trust me they were not up to date at all, but it rented in a flash

Just curious who is the estate agent you're using? We use Clive Watkin and they have been brilliant for the last 2 1/2 years

Agree with everything Elizabeth says. Most definitely leave storage and curtains. If they wish to change curtains they can, when they are ready. Many people have fitted wardrobes and would not be taking them with them.

Venice

I have also been renovating my late parents house (3-bed semi) ready for rental - and maybe tomorrow I will approach Agents to get that rolling. The house has had new bathroom, new kitchen, full central heating, re-wire, new gutters etc and I have personally decorated every inch of the place over about 3 months.

One bedroom has fitted wardrobes with cupboards above - and they STAY. They stay because they look good and are SO useful. Also, the airing cupboard was taken out of the bathroom when that was re-fitted so I had a small radiator put in one wardrobe which has shelves and can now be used for airing.

All rooms have curtains (good ones) and there are spare sets in the new airing cupboard.

I decorated throughout with magnolia walls, white ceilings and white woodwork. New carpets in downstairs rooms are beige (they call it mink) and match well.

There is some furniture left in the house - a new single bed and a new 3-seater (leather look) and rocker-recliner armchair that was only 3 weeks old when mum died, so effectively new.

Things like fridge, freezer and microwave are left in the kitchen

Snod

Absolutely leave built in wardrobes and the curtains.Renters will most likely have little or no furniture and will be glad of all the storage you can give them.As the others have said if you buy new curtains the new people will either like them or hate them same as the ones that are there now.

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Thanks for your opinions. Really helpful to get non EA views.
The wardrobes look DIY made, with louvred doors and just a painted finish . Not terrible but lets say not finished well . All those slats will be a ***** to paint as well . The shelves inside are obviously homemade and a bit rough. I can paint it all up yes, and put white contact over the poor shelving paintwork ,but it still aint going to look sleek.
Elizabeth - havent picked an agent yet . The walls are being skimmed, so if I leave the wardrobe in , if Im wrong and have to remove it later, it probably will mean I have damaged wall and ceiling to get skimmed , and that will be expensive for such a small amount on its own. Developer thinks Im mad and spoiling the job by leaving them .
Salmon I wonder if people really dont have much furniture - I always imagined many would already have their own and begrudge having to put stuff in storage.
Snodvan - you say your wardrobes look good. That would make it a much easier decision for me.
Wish Id had the time and energy to do some decoration myself . This place has had much the same things done as yours , but the firm will also do the decoration which will be just the predictable magnolia painted walls in every room . Id like to have put neutral coloured paper in some rooms to give a bit of texture and character , but the EA,s Ive had round all say NO.
The lounge hasnt even got a fireplace since the horrible little stand alone wooden electric fire surround went . I thought of putting in a modern fireplace, one EA said yeah, another said no ,it dictates what walls people can use or not use to arrange their furniture and some folk have those L shape wrap around settees which take up 2 walls . Arrgh! Cant wait till the inside is done and dusted so I can concentrate on sorting out the garden, Ill enjoy that more.

If the cost to remove the wardrobes and have the walls skimmed isn't too bad while you're already getting it done, then maybe (now you've described them) it would be the best idea to take them down. I don't think the wardrobes or lack of, would put anyone off renting the house but, if as you say the rest of the house is updated, maybe they do look a little out of place now?

As to a fireplace, again I'd leave it without. As long as you have central heating it should be fine.

Also, one thing I've found with my rentals is, that the tenants may want to put their own things such as an electric fire in (at their expense and with your permission) and then you've not had to fork out to pay for one!

Good luck with everything and if it's your first time as a landlord, don't be put off by any horror stories that folk love to tell. Personally I have not had any problems with my tenants so far

Thanks Elizabeth and to other repliers. Hope your project goes well too Snodvan. I guess all we need is to be good LL's and hope for reciprocating tennants.

Maybe a compromise. We had some built in shelves that had a sliding door across the front. We had the sliding door removed and replaced with nice new mirrored slders. Made the room much brighter and looked bigger. The existinmg shelves remain behind them out of site and full of junk.

To please the widest range of potential tennants, if the wardrobes don't look like a quality fixture, I would put sentiment aside and remove them... it is supposed to be a non-furnished, not part furnished. However, if they really look professional and removing them would damage the structure of the room, you may consider leaving them. If you're renting as non-furnished, then every stick of furniture you leave will be taking up the space of your new tenants and possibly cause resentment. I would replace the curtains for something inexpensive and neutral, leaving the tennant the option to replace them with their own fitting if they so wish, just ask them to give them back to you or maybe store them in the loft. Good luck.

Thanks Shambo, appreciate the advice , and your idea too fish.