Never in my life would I have expected a tenant to demand I get him a smaller bed. Since when did randy students prefer singles to doubles?! I must have missed that.
Today’s article is a quick explanation to why every landlord should provide a small double bed over a normal or large size double bed.
Double beds are the bane of my life right now. A bad newbie decision on my part, here I am thinking student tenants love double beds.
Incorrect.
Like most (including myself), students want their cake and to eat it. Students want the reassurance of knowing if they have a student affair, there is a good amount of space in the bed.
As well as the comfort of knowing if they want to add an extra large desk, there is enough floor space to accommodate it.
To be honest, can’t say I blame them.
Learning and having fun is what life is about. How can us landlord’s cater to their needs when furnishing a small room?
Small doubles with under bed storage
Speaking from experience, here is why small double beds trump double beds in rental properties every time:
1. A double divan bed will not fit up the stairs (if the stairs involve a curve).
Even if you believe the powers of optimism will get it round the curve in the staircase…I promise you, it will not fit.How ever much you tell the Bed delivery team to push the bed harder around the curve… I promise you, it will not fit.Even if you ignore the bed delivery team telling you it will not fit and try to do it yourself… it. Will. Not. Fit.
This results in humiliation, a very upset bed delivery team, you wasting time, money, and finally returning the damn thing. Eventually concluding that the person who told you to buy a small double was correct.
2. Small doubles make the room appear bigger
Who doesn’t love a big room? A place you can stretch out (so much room for activities) and enjoy. The increased floor space makes the room far more desirable and an easy sell to potential tenants.
3. Small double beds provide more space for tenants
This means that they can add more of their own furniture, making it feel more like their home e.g. a bookcase, more drawers, an additional desk. Making them far more likely to stay in the property, and avoid the hassle of finding new tenants.
4. Small double beds help prevent requests for more furniture
You get so much storage space due to the extra space either under the bed or the use of drawers if you provide a divan. This means your tenants won’t constantly be after you for wardrobes, drawers and the like.
5. Small double beds allow for the occasional “guest”
Let’s call a spade a spade. Students will have the occasional guest. Frankly, a single bed does not cut the mustard. More space is required.Yet, double beds don’t always fit up the stairs (if a divan) or allow space for other furniture. A small double is the perfect compromise.
Also note, a bed with legs allows you to see more floor space, as opposed to a divan bed. Seeing more floor creates the illusion of a larger room. From now on, I will forget my beloved easy-to-put-together divans and stick to the small double beds with legs.
Now you can rest easy
In conclusion: buy small doubles with legs. They are cheaper, make the bedroom look more desirable, and are more practical. I like to use companies like Sublime furnishings. They deliver and install all the furniture.
If there is a British Heart Foundation store near I like using them too. It is cheap, recycles good quality furniture, and the money you spend goes towards a good cause. They don’t always have small doubles on the shop floor, but top tip: ask if they have any in their warehouse.
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We’ve got some more on-the-ground advice on land lording:
The real problem with “problem” tenants is YOU!: How to make sure you get the best tenants for your property
Achieve any dream with buckets of rubble: We look at the things you learn about life from being a landlord
How to make a fairy tale out of Utility Management: If you’ve ever had an issue with utility management, here’s a simple fix.
