Click to View: How to Prepare Your Student House for Viewings

About the author: My name is Sophie Layton, and I’m an MA International Public & Political Communication and BSc Biology graduate from the University of Sheffield. I am currently the Managing Editor of WILD Magazine, Editor of Ed Fringe Review, and Newsletter Editor for the Essex International Jamboree, as well as a former Arts & Theatre Editor of Forge Press. I am also the Digital Media Officer for the Student Publication Association. I am a keen thespian with the Sheffield University Theatre Company, with interests in culture, LGBTQ+ issues and political science.

House viewings are all the rage this time of year. But how can you prepare your house for viewings and give potential tenants the best chance of signing quickly? Read on to find out!

As student letting season comes around once again, many people’s first thoughts go immediately to where they’ll be living next year, who they’ll be living with, and whether it is closer to the pub as the crow flies or in actual walking distance. But bear a thought for the other side of the coin – as you view houses, other people will need to be viewing yours. So, here are our top tips for preparing your house for viewings, making sure you are 100% ready!

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How to prepare your house for viewings: student edition

“When was that viewing again?”

It may sound basic, but remembering that a house viewing is coming up is half the battle! Landlords, homeowners and rental companies should give all tenants advanced notice that a house viewing is coming up, which is usually via email, with a certain period of notice. Whilst this is usually sent to all tenants, putting a message on your house group chat is a great way to make sure no one misses it.

As well as this, be sure to put it in your calendar and be mindful of what you plan on doing at that point in time. Many tenants elect to be somewhere else during house viewings, such as at university or in the library, but if you are at home, keep in mind the viewing is happening. Don’t get in the shower or video call granny five minutes before a house viewing – or she might get the chance to meet the prospective tenants too!

Spring Deep Clean!

Cleaning is not many people’s idea of fun, and it’s not mine either, but it’s only fair to the prospective tenants that they get to see a sense of what the property is like, not unduly influenced by how the current tenants are using it. Imagine if you were buying a car and the current owner had it piled to the top with rubbish – not a great impression!

In the days leading up to a house viewing, make sure that both your room and all the communal areas have been cleaned thoroughly, that excessive rubbish has been taken out, bathrooms and kitchens are clean and tidy and that everything is in a good condition to be viewed. Keep in mind that viewings are typically conducted by the landlord or agent; a tidy home is worth the sacrifice of a few extra minutes in bed.

Consider splitting the communal cleaning between each of your housemates, or why not all get together one day and do it as a group? As Mary Poppins so eloquently put it: “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. Find the fun and the job’s a game!”. Even if it doesn’t become fun per se, it should definitely be on the to-do list for preparing your house for viewings.

Light and Airy

As well as being clean, you want your property and room to look as nice and presentable as possible for when the viewers arrive. Remember all the nice-looking pictures you see on house viewing websites? The goal is to make your property as visually pleasing as that.

When preparing your house for viewings, make sure your curtains are pulled back all the way, open a window, and if it’s dark, be sure to switch a light on. If you are a sports lad or otherwise fitness-inclined, give your room a quick spray of air freshener – trust me, it’ll make all the difference! But above all, take a second to look at your room from the doorway and ask yourself: “Would I want to view this property if this was one of the photos?”. You may want to decorate your room to make it more homely.

Fast In, Fast Out

No one particularly likes house viewings. The tenants have to clean their entire property for a five-minute session, viewers have to awkwardly poke around other people’s rooms, and landlords have to organise and facilitate it all. But the quicker they get in, the quicker they’re gone again.

Whilst you and your housemates might be alright with clamouring over the boxes you moved in with six months ago, or using the back door because Jimmy’s bike is blocking the front one, this will inevitably impede the house viewing and just make it last longer. It also makes it harder for viewers, some of whom may have reduced mobility or accessibility challenges, to get around. Ask yourself whether you can easily get from one room in the house to another, and if the answer is ‘no’, do something about it!

Better Safe than Sorry

Having something get lost or being stolen during a house viewing is rare, but it’s not impossible. Whilst you definitely don’t need to go buy a safe, CCTV, or a guard dog, there are small steps you can take to be on the safe side. Consider putting jewellery or other valuables in a drawer, make sure you don’t have internet passwords lying around, and don’t leave your gadgets somewhere that can be misplaced easily.

House viewings are an unavoidable part of the student experience, but they’re something we’ve all got to deal with. Remember, the faster your property is let, the fewer house viewings you’ll have, so make sure each one showcases your house in the best way possible, for them and for you!

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Looking for a new student home?

Now that you’re all clued up on how to prepare your house for viewings, it’s time to look at the flip side.

If you’re planning to move out of your current property and are in search of your new perfect home away from home, don’t hesitate to use the search filter at UniHomes to streamline the process. The team at UniHomes is dedicated to making your student house search easy, so start looking by location and make a stand-out enquiry today!

Our UniHomes Content Ambassadors are current students across the UK who share tips about student life in their city to help you make the most of your time at uni. If you're interested in writing for our programme, click here for more details.

The views and opinions expressed in these blogs are those of the UniHomes Content Ambassadors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UniHomes. UniHomes accepts no liability for the content of these Student Blogs.