Simple improvements can make your rental property more appealing to prospective tenants and support stronger demand. Focus on comfort, convenience and presentation, while checking your tenancy and body corporate responsibilities.
How can you make a rental property more attractive to tenants?
Consider the property from a renter’s perspective. A tenant will usually think about how comfortable, convenient and easy to maintain it is, as well as whether it offers good value.
Start with the features that affect everyday living:
- Clean, professional presentation
- Reliable heating and cooling
- Functional kitchen and laundry areas
- Secure doors and windows
- Well-maintained common property
- Useful storage
- Access to shared amenities
Professional, clear photos can also help your rental listing stand out online. Use photographs that accurately show the property’s size, natural light and layout, rather than relying on dark or cluttered images.
Queensland tenants may value air conditioning and other heating or cooling options. Consider the property’s design, orientation and existing ventilation before deciding whether an installation is suitable. No feature guarantees higher rent.
If your property has access to a shared pool, gym or coworking space, include those amenities in the marketing. They can help prospective tenants understand the benefits of living in the scheme.
Which features and presentation improvements matter most to renters?
A furnished property may appeal to short-term renters, people moving into a new area or tenants without much furniture. This approach may suit inner-city and metropolitan-fringe locations better than every rental market.
Choose durable, practical items with broad appeal. Essential furniture may include a bed, fridge, television, sofa, washing machine, wardrobe and dining table. The property should suit different tenants rather than reflect your personal decorating preferences.
Small presentation improvements can also make a noticeable difference:
- Apply a fresh coat of paint to brighten the property.
- Consider neutral colours such as white, grey or earthy shades.
- Clean or replace worn carpets.
- Consider durable hard flooring where it suits the property.
- Repair cracked or loose kitchen and bathroom tiles.
- Check balconies, courtyards and gardens before advertising the property.
A tenant may be less interested in a property if shared areas appear dirty, neglected or difficult to use. Keep common property and shared amenities clean and well maintained, but the exact responsibility may depend on the scheme’s plan of subdivision, boundaries and arrangements. The body corporate must maintain common property in good and structurally sound condition, while the lot owner must maintain the lot in good condition.
If a problem involves common property, raise it with the body corporate early. Prompt action can help avoid a poor first impression and reduce the chance of maintenance issues affecting the tenancy.
Should you allow pets in a Queensland body corporate rental?
Allowing pets may make a rental attractive to a wider group of prospective tenants. A no-pet policy may also mean missing some potential leases, so consider the property’s layout, flooring, outdoor areas and suitability for animals.
For a Queensland rental in a community titles scheme, the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997, known as the BCCM Act, applies to many body corporates. Check the scheme’s animal by-laws and current tenancy requirements before making a decision.
Body corporate by-laws cannot prohibit keeping an animal outright. However, a scheme may require written approval, and reasonable conditions may apply. Conditions can address matters such as using common property, keeping an animal restrained, managing waste and preventing unreasonable interference with other residents.
If approval is required, the tenant should make the request in writing to the body corporate. Landlord approval alone is not enough where the by-laws require body corporate approval. The body corporate must act reasonably and can refuse only for the reasons allowed by the legislation, such as an unacceptable risk that cannot be managed with reasonable conditions.
The committee has 21 days to decide an animal request. If it does not decide within the applicable period, the animal may be deemed approved, subject to the relevant process.
For more practical guidance, read Pets in a body corporate property: what to consider. You should also check the current tenancy rules before including pet terms in a lease.
What should landlords check before changing floors, balconies or shared areas?
By-laws regulate the use of lots and common property, as well as the behaviour of owners and occupiers on body corporate land. Tenants must comply with the by-laws and should receive a copy when their lease starts.
Check the scheme’s current by-laws before:
- Installing hard flooring
- Changing a balcony, courtyard or garden
- Placing items in a shared area
- Using common property for storage
- Making a minor modification to the lot
- Advertising an exclusive-use outdoor area
Depending on the proposed work, you may need body corporate approval or another form of permission. An improvement inside your lot may still be subject to scheme requirements. If you are unsure which by-laws apply, check the community management statement and relevant Titles Queensland records. The applicable by-laws depend on the scheme and the legislation governing it.
Tenants may also need to ask the body corporate for permission for matters such as parking on common property, keeping a pet or making minor modifications. Requests should be made in writing.
Before changing an outdoor area, read what to consider when creating a balcony garden.
How can you improve a rental property without overcapitalising?
Prioritise improvements that solve a clear problem or improve daily use. A fresh coat of paint, repaired tiles, clean carpets, practical storage and good photographs may be more useful than expensive features that add little to the tenant’s experience.
Consider the likely tenant and location before furnishing the property or installing equipment. A furnished apartment may suit one market, while an unfurnished property with additional storage may suit another.
Prepare a short improvement plan and consider:
- Whether the work improves safety, comfort or convenience
- Whether the feature is durable and easy to maintain
- Whether the scheme’s by-laws or approval processes apply
- Whether the work affects common property
- Whether the likely benefit justifies the cost
- Whether the property will continue to meet rental requirements
Owners and bodies corporate may share responsibilities where maintenance overlaps. The registered plan of subdivision helps identify lot and common property boundaries, while the community management statement identifies the regulation module.
Landlords also need to meet Queensland rental requirements. These include keeping the premises weatherproof and structurally sound, maintaining fixtures and fittings in good repair, providing secure locks and ensuring the property is free from vermin, damp and mould.
Read new minimum housing standards for Queensland rental properties before planning larger maintenance or improvement work.
Which sustainability improvements are worth considering?
Sustainability features may appeal to some prospective tenants, particularly where they improve comfort or reduce everyday energy use. Consider the property’s construction, climate and expected costs rather than assuming an improvement will pay for itself.
Possible options include:
- LED light bulbs
- Better insulation
- Solar panels
- More efficient heating or cooling
- Shade or ventilation improvements where suitable
LED bulbs can last longer than traditional bulbs. Better insulation may help retain heat and reduce heating use, depending on the property’s construction and climate. Solar panels may be suitable for some properties, but check feasibility, installation costs, scheme requirements and approvals first.
For changes affecting common property or the external appearance of the building, check the current by-laws and speak with the body corporate before engaging a contractor.
Presentation, comfort, practical features and careful checking of body corporate and tenancy requirements can make a rental property more attractive without unnecessary spending. If you need help checking responsibilities or body corporate requirements, contact StrataCare at reception@stratacare.com.au.
