Renting Furnished vs. Unfurnished: What are the Pros & Cons?

When browsing properties online, you’ll usually come across two types of rentals – furnished and unfurnished. Both have their pros and cons.

Deciding which one you should rent ultimately depends on what you need from a home. While furnished properties are ideal for short-term tenants, couples or families tend to prefer unfurnished so they can make their rental feel like home over time.

In this article, we provide a run-down of what it’s like to rent furnished vs. unfurnished and what the pros and cons are to help you decide which one is right for you.

What is Furnished?

A furnished rental is a property that’s considered ‘fit to live in’ from the day the letting begins. Landlords can choose what furnishings they provide, but it usually includes a bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, sofa, dining room table, chairs, and tableware.

In addition to these extra furnishings, all properties let in the UK must have white goods, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, flooring, and curtains or blinds.

What are the Pros of Renting Furnished?

Renting a furnished property is an excellent choice for many people, particularly students or first-time renters.

With a furnished property, you have benefits like:

• Easier to move in and out – You can move in quickly and get settled right away
• Cheaper outlay – You don’t need to purchase furniture when you first move in or pay for a removal company
• Ideal for the short-term – Renting a furnished property is ideal if you’re only renting the place short-term

What are the Cons of Renting Furnished?

Renting a furnished property may seem ideal, particularly if you are a first-time renter. Everything is provided for you, which can make moving into your new home much easier.

However, there are some downsides to renting a furnished property, including:

• Higher rent – Because of the extras provided, rent is typically higher
• Limited style – The furnishings provided may not match your style
• Impact of damages – Accidentally damaging the furnishings will almost certainly lead to security deposit deductions

What is Unfurnished?

An unfurnished rental property means the landlord only provides the bare minimum a property needs to be rented. This includes white goods, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, flooring, and curtains or blinds.

Besides these things, an unfurnished property is empty.

What are the Pros of Renting Unfurnished?

While it may seem like your landlord simply doesn’t want to provide you with any extras when letting an unfurnished property, it’s intentional for the market they are targeting. Unfurnished properties are usually more desirable for long-term renters who want to create a home or start a family.

When renting an unfurnished property, you can:

• Bring your own – You can bring your own furniture, which is ideal if you plan on renting long-term
• Have peace of mind – Damages to furniture won’t be deducted from your security deposit so that you can relax more
• Get cheaper rent – You won’t need to pay a surcharge on top of your rent for the furnishings, meaning rent is cheaper

What are the Cons of Renting Unfurnished?

Unfurnished properties usually have a very specific target market. If you’re a student or renting with housemates, buying your own furniture probably isn’t as ideal as if you were renting a long-term family home.

Renting an unfurnished property has its cons, including:

• Higher expenses – Even though rent is cheaper, you have to pay for all your furniture, which can add up
• More hassle when moving – You’ll have to find a new place that can fit your furniture and arrange a removal company to help you move
• Longer to settle-in – Buying and arranging furniture means settling in can take longer

How to Decide Between Furnished and Unfurnished

If you can’t decide between renting a furnished or unfurnished property, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• What can you afford? – On top of paying your deposit and living expenses, can you afford to purchase your own furniture?
• How long do you plan on staying? – Is this a temporary pitstop, or are you renting a long-term home?
• How quickly do you need to settle in? – Are you pressed for time and need to settle in as quickly as possible?
• Is styling your rental important to you?

How Fronted Can Help When You’re Moving

At Fronted, we believe renting should be better. Moving into the private rental market isn’t always easy to finance. That’s why we’ve designed our Lifetime Deposits with you in mind to help fix some of the issues with renting in the UK.

Our painless set-up process makes getting a lifetime deposit quick and easy – with a handy app you can download to manage your deposit long-term.

Check out how our Lifetime Deposits work, or get in touch today for a chat with our friendly team about whether we’re the right solution for you.