NEWS / 28 FEB 2026

Top 5 Rental Property Upgrades

The upgrades that lift a rental's value and appeal — and the ones that rarely pay for themselves.

News / Top 5 Rental Property Upgrades
SCROLL
FIG.01 — RETURN PER £ SPENT FLOORING PAINTING STORAGE PLUMBING KITCHEN LOW −−−−−−−−−−−− HIGH

Doing up a rental isn't like doing up your own home. The trick is spending enough to lift the property's value and draw in good tenants, without pouring money into things that never earn it back. These five tend to give London landlords the strongest return.

1. Flooring

Swapping tired carpet for a harder-wearing finish — laminate, tile, stone or engineered wood — lifts a property instantly, and it's far easier for everyone to clean and maintain between tenancies.

2. Plumbing

Taps, mixers and sinks date a kitchen or bathroom quickly and corrode with age. Replacing fittings that are a decade old with something modern in chrome or brushed nickel is a small job with an outsized effect.

3. Painting

A full repaint is pricey, but even refreshing a few rooms makes a listing feel cared for. Stick to calm neutrals — soft greys, whites and creams — so tenants can picture their own things in the space.

4. Storage

Tenants notice clever storage, especially in shared houses where communal space is at a premium. Built-in shelving and fitted wardrobes cost little next to the goodwill they buy.

5. Kitchen countertops

Cheap laminate worktops show wear fast. A solid surface — granite, quartz or slate — smartens up a kitchen and lasts for years, so the cost is spread across many tenancies.

FIG. — FIVE UPGRADES, IN ORDERFlooringPlumbingPaintingStorageKitchen countertopsLONDON SHARED
FIGURE

← All news

GET IN TOUCH

Let's find your next room, or your next resident.

London Shared — Wandsworth

10 Enterprise Way
London SW18 1FZ

Enquiries

020 7610 9004

Status

Currently onboarding new homes & residents