There are only a few rental property owners who enjoy replacing the carpet in their Portsmouth rental home every few years. So, why not think about getting rid of your rental’s carpet altogether? Hard-surface flooring is now more favorable for rental property owners compared to wall-to-wall carpeting. If this seems unusual to you, the following reasons might make you consider getting rid of carpet altogether like many other Portsmouth rental property owners and their tenants.
Reason #1: Cleanliness
Anyone who has a carpet in their rental home knows the difficulty of keeping it clean. You can have the carpets professionally cleaned between tenants, but the tenant may not want to do it themselves. If you have long-term tenants, that could mean those carpets have collected years’ worth of dirt and dust. Smells, usually bad ones, tend to cling to carpet fibers especially if the carpet is not getting regular and proper cleaning.It can also be costly for tenants to hire out carpet cleaning services or they cannot afford to spend the required time to do a thorough cleaning themselves.
It is far easier to clean hard-surface flooring like laminate or tile. These types of flooring can be scrubbed clean in a short time and as often as the tenant likes to eliminate any stains or smells. Unlike carpet, hard-surface flooring is also far more sanitary for young children and individuals with respiratory or other health issues.
Reason #2: Flooding
One more reason to give up carpet for good is the hassle of cleaning up carpets that become soaked because of water leaks and floods. Even small plumbing issues can lead to flooding in a rental house, and wet carpets are sure to become a serious problem. Soaked carpets should be pulled up, and the sub-flooring, pad, and carpeting dried out thoroughly to avoid dangerous mold growth. If the carpet cannot be dried, it has to be replaced. Flooding situations have to be dealt with promptly and correctly if you do not want to put your residents’ health at risk and expose yourself to serious liability.
Most hard-surface flooring (other than real hardwood) is easier to deal with in flooding situations. Properly installed laminate and vinyl are water-resistant and are relatively easy to dry out. You can say goodbye to expensive restoration services or flooring replacement!
Reason #3: Longevity
Carpets don’t need to be replaced before five years of use. Some landlords try to stretch that out to seven years or more — usually with bad results. Residents don’t usually like living on top of stained carpets — more so on old, threadbare ones. Some will leave a rental if the carpet isn’t replaced as often as they would like. The old carpeting can also become dangerous. Old carpets become too thin to the point that carpet tack starts to emerge from underneath and cause injury. Cheap carpet also doesn’t last long under rental property conditions.
If you value longevity, hard-surface flooring would be your best bet. Despite all the ways a tenant could potentially damage a hard-surface floor, most tile or laminate flooring should last you a good ten to twenty years or more. Laminate flooring costs just as much as carpet but since it doesn’t need frequent replacement, it can be a better option for rental properties.
Reason #4: Modern Look
Finally, wall-to-wall carpeting can sometimes make a rental property’s interior look outdated. Newer homes often keep carpet to a minimum. Some have it in the bedroom, and some have none at all. A laminate flooring instead of carpet in the main living areas will give your rental a more modern look. Your tenant will also appreciate that they can add rugs or decor items since they have less to worry about when it comes to cleanliness with hard-surface flooring. Carpets are more easily damaged and tenants can’t change them as well. Since laminate tile comes in many sizes, colors, and patterns, including wood-look tiles, you can even upgrade your rental without the price tag and hassle of real hardwood.
There are so many benefits of hard-surface flooring, it makes it easy to see why many rental property owners are choosing to get rid of carpet for good! Would you like more information about how to design beautiful, durable rental home interiors that tenants will love while saving you money? Give Real Property Management Seacoast New Hampshire a call at 603-343-2202 Our team of Portsmouth property managers works with rental property owners like you to lower your maintenance and repairs costs without making your rental home any less appealing for tenants.
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