Milton Keynes, UK, 2015-2-11 — /EPR Retail News/ — A third of UK renters are losing an average of £300 in deposit money from their landlord because they’ve made changes to their accommodation without seeking permission first[1], according to recent research.
The findings, compiled for Heart of House at Argos, also found that 45 per cent of tenants felt more settled in a rented property after putting their own stamp on it[1].
Felicity Gough, Assistant Brand Manager for Heart of House, said: “The last decade has seen the first rise in the number of households renting since 1918[2], so with renting becoming increasingly popular, we wanted to understand more about the challenges faced by people in rental properties to see how we could help.”
The research raises questions about what changes tenants can and can’t make to their rental property. Heart of House has teamed up with television presenter Sophie Robinson to identify ways that tenants can make changes to their rented property without compromising their deposit.
Sophie Robinson said: “If you live in rented accommodation it’s really important that you inject some of your personality and put your own stamp on your place. The good news is that you don’t have to go smashing down walls or ripping up carpets to make changes to your home. With some well-chosen accessories you can easily, quickly and affordably transform any room.”
Bring light into a room – Painting the walls a light colour such as pale blue will make a room feel brighter, but if you can’t use paint, try using a mirror hung opposite a window to reflect natural light around a room. If you’re after something less permanent, try propping a mirror up against a wall or a mantelpiece.
Organising clutter – If you have shelves groaning under the weight of books then it is time to be ruthless and pass on any items or books you aren’t going to use. Use your shelves to display candles and ornaments instead, and stack remaining books vertically and horizontally, creating little plinths to display your favorite items.
Introduce texture – Most landlords prefer to keep the décor a neutral colour which can be quite bland, so keep the eye entertained by introducing home accessories with different materials and textures. This can range from knitted pods woolen throws to wooden candle holders, and glass ornaments.
Adding colour – A lot of rental properties have a neutral colour palette, but there’s nothing stopping you from adding a burst of your own colour to a property. This can be done by adding colourful throws and patterned cushions to a sofa, or adding a rug to the floor. Remember to stick to a particular colour theme or story to make the look come together.
Style with symmetry – One trick that designers use to make a room hang together is styling with symmetry. So think about buying a pair of statement lamps and sitting them either side of the sofa, you can also create symmetry with pictures or photos.
Avoid blue tack and nails – Nails leave holes and blue tack leaves grease marks which can be awkward to remove when you leave the property. If you’re looking to hang wall art or photos then consider using picture hanging strips which don’t leave marks on walls when they’re removed, or use your fridge door to express yourself by attaching magnets to the back of photos.
Brighten up your bathroom – Bathroom towels, bath mats and shower curtains can transform the look of a bathroom instantly, and can easily be put back to its original state when you leave.
Introduce flexible storage – Think of useful and stylish items that you can take with you wherever you go, such as a kitchen trolley or freestanding bathroom furniture.
Spruce up the garden – Quickly assembled garden furniture can create instant focal points to an outdoor space, such as a bistro set, bench or bird bath.
Carolyn Uphill, Chairman of the National Landlords Association, said: “I’d encourage all tenants to communicate with their landlord at the earliest opportunity to find out what their landlord is or isn’t comfortable with. The vast majority of landlords are happy for tenants to make some changes to their property, so long as they ask for permission first.”
Renters can watch a video full of tips and advice by visiting facebook.com/heartofhouseuk, and browse over 1600 products at heartofhouse.co.uk.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1 The research for Argos of Home Retail Group of 1,000 people was carried out by Opinion Matters in December 2014.
2 ONS. Part of 2011 Census Analysis, A Century of Home Ownership and Renting in England and Wales Release
About Argos
Argos is a leading UK digital retailer, offering around 50,000 products through www.argos.co.uk, its growing mobile channels, stores and over the telephone.
Argos continues to be the UK’s largest high street retailer online with around 123m customer transactions a year through its stores and 738 million website and app visits in the 12 months to February 2014. Customers can take advantage of Argos’ convenient Check & Reserve service available through its network of 756 stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland.
In the financial year to February 2014, Argos sales were £4.1 billion and it employed some 29,000 people across the business.
Argos is part of Home Retail Group, the UK’s leading home and general merchandiser retailer.
About Heart of House
Heart of House is a range of homewares and furniture designed for real family life, available from Argos.Heart of House offers a wide range of more than 1600 practical and stylish products that are made to withstand the knocks, bumps and demands of daily family life.
###