Lighting Advice for Landlords
What do tenants notice when they walk into a house or room for the first time? The colour, the furniture, how clean (or not) it is? That might be what they are thinking, but if it feels cold, unwelcoming or dingy that will be the deal breaker whether a tenant signs up or runs for the hills... or to your competition.
Lights can provide a real wow factor at a fraction of the cost of redecorating or restyling and with the latest systems and technology, the running and maintenance cost savings can be significant. And yet, lighting is so often overlooked by landlords and letting agents. Energy efficiency is becoming an important consideration for everyone and with EICR’s (electrical installation condition report) becoming mandatory, it's a great opportunity to think about what an upgrade to your lighting could achieve. There is a vast array of lighting available to suit every taste and budget.
Lights add style and personality to a property, enhancing its appeal and helping prospective tenants to see themselves living there. Next time you walk into your property, look up. What does your property’s lights say to you? We’ve put together a five-point checklist of things to ask yourself:
- Are your lights all the same colour white? There are many different white tones; from a clinical cold shade to cool to warm white. You may think you’re buying identical bulbs when they need replacing, but that’s not always the case as you can see from this photo of a real-life example we found recently.
- If your bulbs are visible e.g. in chandeliers, pendants and side lights, are they the same shape and type of bulb? If you have more than one of any style of light the bulbs should be the same finish (clear glass, opalescent, frosted), the same lumen rating (watt equivalent) and same style.
- Do your lights give your room the right amount and spread of light? Spotlights and pendant lights are functional and often leave shadowy corners that can make your rooms look smaller and give the impression there is something to hide.
- Are your lights an attractive feature or just there to do a job? Downlighters seem to be the obvious choice mainly because they are inexpensive. Cheap fixtures look cheap and it’s a missed opportunity to add a touch of warmth, style or personality. If your lights show no thought or effort, what does that imply for the rest of the property?
- If you’re not 100% LED you should switch over now. LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and fixtures have taken over the industry, offering longevity and energy efficiency. However, you need to make sure that your dimmer switches are compatible with LEDs. When incandescent light bulbs were the standard, there was really only one type of dimmer. With LEDs, there can be six distinctly different dimming methods and there are unique dimmers for each method. Getting the match between an LED and dimmer wrong can lead to flickering, poor dimming or, in the worst case, a potential for fire.
For inspiration to improve your property’s lighting and specialist advice on the latest innovations and energy-saving technologies talk to us – because there’s more to light.
