With high fuel prices, increasing parking charges, congestion and stress levels, moreand more people are cancelling their commute and opting to work from home instead. In light of this information, Belvoir Sheffield, the leading letting agent in Sheffield is advising landlords to be aware of this new trend and prepared to act accordingly.
Rick Flay, Director at Belvoir Sheffield, who offer a wide range of property to rent in Sheffield, said, “As employers offer greater flexibility regarding work hours and location, a growing number of employees are taking advantage and working from a dedicated space at home. An increasing number of
tenants now have a home office high on their list of criteria and landlords should be responding to this.”
“Some landlords may not have the option of devoting an entire room to office space but for those that do a relatively small investment can add considerable letting appeal to their property.”
For landlords who are interested in capitalising on this trend, Belvoir Sheffield, who specialise in letting out residential properties in Sheffield, has identified the key components that need to be considered when creating an attractive working area in the home including:
• Ample phone and electrical sockets – any home worker will need a phone and internet connection, and possibly a fax machine, so sockets that enable this are basic elements of the home office.
• Furniture, or the space in which a tenant can put their own – every office at least needs a desk and some storage space and it’s important to consider where furniture might go when installing sockets. Fitting out a small space is challenging but with the right furniture and a little imagination it’s certainly possible.
• Lighting – every home worker needs good lighting, be it from a window or artificial. This should be considered when creating a dedicated working space; if the space is small and doesn’t benefit from a window, appropriate, low intensity lighting should be used.
• Colour – potential tenants will want to visualise their work area and this will be easier for them to do if the walls aren’t bright pink. Try painting the space a calming cool blue or a motivational zesty yellow so that the tenant can imagine working in their office and is able to use it straight away.
Rick added, “Even if the space is only used for organising bills or for students doing homework, landlords need to realise the demand for a dedicated working space, the kitchen table just won’t suffice anymore. With millions now working from home across the UK, landlords should be considering the changing market and making provisions for it”.
Belvoir Lettings Agemcy Sheffield are the One Stop Specialists for Lettings including Property Management, Tenant Find, Investment and Wealth Management Advice, Fit-outs and Renovations, Furniture Packs and Investment Property Insurances.
