When you are kitting out your PRS investment, it is common in Scotland to provide some white goods even in the case of unfurnished properties, but what should you supply and what are your liabilities?
Whilst there is no legal requirement to provide white goods (fridges, cookers, microwaves, washing machines etc) in Scotland, a landlord might struggle to attract tenants in some markets by not doing so. However, my experience has been that tenants often arrive with a fridge freezer, washing machine and other white goods in tow, so why make this investment up front? In addition, once you have provided the white good(s), you are liable for ensuring their electrical safety via a suitable Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) Regime.
Talking all of this on board, my view has always been to approach each tenancy on its own merits. However, I felt it was time to get some advice from the experts. So I called ten different letting agents and asked them if I needed to provide a fridge freezer when letting my property. Whilst (surprisingly) not all were sure about the legal position, all had a view on the market position. In the end, seven suggested I should provide a fridge freezer and three suggested I should not.
The market I was competing in very much suggested that I should make the provision, however I was keen to avoid spending £200 if I didn't need to. I waited until the tenants had been selected, identified their position and in the end provided a fridge freezer.
Hopefully that's a decision I won't need to make again for at least a decade.
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