Preparing your student properties for the new academic year: A checklist
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As the leaves begin to fall and the cold starts creeping in, landlords and property managers across the UK are welcoming in the new influx of student tenants, if they haven’t already.
As with any buy-to-let or rental property, preparing it sufficiently for a new academic year is vital to ensure tenant satisfaction, a smooth move, and a profitable investment. If you’ve not considered renting out a property to students yet, then this comprehensive guide will give you all the essential tools you need.
This article provides a detailed checklist to help you get your properties student-ready, outlines the steps involved, and discusses how modern automation solutions like eSignatures (electronic signatures) can streamline many administrative parts of the management process.
Understanding the student letting market
Before we get into the ins and outs of preparing student rental properties, it’s essential to pinpoint the unique aspects of the wider rental market for students.
UK universities are consistently attracting large numbers of students both native and international. As such, demand for quality student accommodation remains high, despite experiencing a 5.8% dip in domestic placements and applications for universities in 2024, international acceptances increased by 2.6%.
The primary deciding factor for students is location, but functionality and reliable connectivity also remain atop their lists when deciding which property to rent. Boutique and exquisite high-end furnishings are not necessarily determining factors, although they can demand higher rental prices.
Student tenancies typically align with the surrounding university’s academic year, meaning that landlords and estate agents can make more predictable planning and management decisions. Compared to single-family properties, properties with multiple student occupants often yield higher rental returns (depending on the area), so there is undoubtedly a financial incentive for landlords to invest smartly.
When you also consider the fact that student properties are more likely to experience greater wear and tear over the years – particularly if there’s little upkeep and maintenance – it only illustrates the need to do so ahead of time. While that doesn’t equate to huge large-scale renovations necessarily, it does mean that landlords must keep their student properties in liveable, safe, and functional conditions.
Checklist: Preparing your student property
Managing student rentals presents different challenges that can only be tackled with a methodical and strategic approach. To give you a sense of what that might entail for your rental, and to prepare it for the new university academic year, review the following checklist as a guide.
1. Schedule Home Improvements
- Conduct a thorough property inspection and address any urgent repairs or renovations. This can range from fixture upgrades and electrical rewiring to painting, decorating, and replacing flooring or carpets if needed.
- Consider upgrades that add value, such as smart energy meters, heating controls and automated garage doors for students with their own cars.
- Install new windows, doors, or appliances which can add an additional sense of luxury and convenience.
2. Ensure Safety and Compliance
- Validate and update any safety certificates (gas, electrical, fire).
- Install and upgrade smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- Ensure all door and window locks are functional and safe, upgrading to smart locks if necessary.
- Review and ensure compliance with HMO regulations if applicable.
3. Optimise Broadband Connectivity
- Upgrade to high-speed or fibre optic internet if not already in place.
- Consider installing Wi-Fi hubs or extenders for larger properties.
- Consider adding ethernet ports for stronger connections in bedrooms.
- If you bill tenants for internet supply and usage as part of a rental agreement, ensure they understand and comply with safe usage.
4. Furnish Appropriately
- Provide functional, reliable and comfortable furniture.
- Ensure each bedroom has suitable beds, chairs and tables.
- Consider space-saving furniture options for communal areas.
- Provide essential kitchen appliances and equipment.
5. Deep Clean and Maintenance
- Schedule a professional deep clean of the property with a reliable local cleaning company.
- Clean or replace carpets, curtains, and soft furnishings.
- Ensure proper functioning of heating systems and gas and electricity meters.
- Consider partnering with local removal companies or mobile storage facilities to house unneeded furniture until it can be replaced or removed.
6. Update Marketing Materials
- Take new, high-quality photos of the property for new estate agent listings.
- Create a compelling property description highlighting key features which could entice prospective tenants to view.
- List the house on reliable property portals and third-party websites to expand your reach.
- Provide immersive video tours, 3D floorplans and updated certificates to confirm the property is in good condition.
7. Prepare Relevant Tenancy Documentation
- Update the tenancy agreement to reflect new terms and rental prices
- Create a comprehensive inventory list to review at the end of the tenancy.
- Prepare a student-friendly welcome pack with local information and house rules.
- If managing multiple student properties, consider deploying a reliable property management system for easier oversight and supervision.
8. Set Up Online Management Systems
- Implement the Signable online property system that allows you and your tenants to keep track of signed documents and rental agreements.
- Deploy an easy rent payment and collection system.
- Set up a maintenance reporting process, aggregating invoices and purchase orders.
9. Plan for Move-In Day
- Consider scheduling staggered move-in times to avoid overcrowding.
- Prepare the handover process for house keys.
- Establish clear communication channels for day one and throughout the tenancy.
10. Implement eSignature Solutions
- Set up an eSignature system for tenancy agreements, addendums, maintenance invoices and other relevant documents.
- Prepare digital versions of all necessary paperwork, accessible via a cloud-based portal.
- Ensure all parties are familiar with the eSignature process and the legal validity it holds.
Signable eSignature solutions for student lettings
Implementing eSignature solutions is a sure-fire way to streamline the process of managing one or more student tenancies. eSignatures allow for the quicker completion of tenancy agreements when students are not physically present, which is handy if they are moving from further afield.
Digital documents are much easier to manage, store and retrieve when needed, reducing administrative paperwork and physical clutter. What’s more, if these documents are integrated with eSignatures, manual checks are less important, as compulsory fields can be highlighted if not signed before documents can be progressed.
Digital signatures are more reliable, secure (thanks to SSL encryption), and harder to forge than physical, traditional signatures, thus safeguarding property inventory, assets, and landlord investments. Furthermore, it’s more convenient for students to sign digital documents as it means they have far less travel time and can do it via their mobile phones or laptops.
Implementing eSignature solutions like those offered by Signable empowers you to modernise your letting and management processes, save time and provide a much more tech-led, convenient experience for your current and future student tenants.
Sign up for a 14-day free trial and start streamlining your processes today.
Dakota Murphey
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