What Are The Best Types Of Beds For Rental Properties?

Whether you’re a landlord planning to let out a furnished house or apartment, or a tenant shopping for items for an unfurnished property, beds are among the most important elements you will need to consider. Today we are going to discuss the best types of beds for rental properties.

A good night’s sleep is vital when it comes to the enjoyment of a home. As a landlord, providing great beds may play a major part in tenant retention, as the size and quality of their bed will influence their sense of comfort while renting from you.  

“At Property Solvers, we often sell ready-made portfolios – low vacancy rates often mean a better price for our clients,” comments Ruban Selvanayagam of a leading home sales company in the UK.

As a tenant, the right bed can make even the least desirable of sleeping quarters – be it a small room or a bright street light outside your window – that little bit more bearable!

So, what are the best types of beds you can invest in when renting, or when providing rental property?

Heavy Duty Materials

Some landlords buy cheap furniture and dispose of it after almost every tenant due to the inevitable wear and tear. Some tenants buy cheap too and choose to scrap the items rather than transport them when they move to their next place.

However, this approach is obviously extremely wasteful, both in terms of money and materials. As Logan Ransley, co-founder of Landlord Studio reveals “Often the key to running a successful rental operation is to view things like furnishings as long-term investments in your property and your tenants”. It is also certainly not environmentally friendly, and – if the items you purchase are particularly low-quality – you may find that they begin to fall apart well before a tenancy ends. It also is certainly not environmentally friendly, and – if the items you purchase are particularly low-quality – you may find that they begin to fall apart well before a tenancy ends.

Whether the bed belongs to the tenant or the landlord, this problem will result in discomfort, unnecessary effort, and additional expense.

It’s usually far better to invest in a heavy duty bed frame that will last while showing minimal evidence of wear and tear. 

The current trend for vintage or industrial furniture will serve you well here – classic metal bed frames are very much in vogue while remaining affordable for the most part. 

Steel frames are a great choice for rental accommodation, as they tend to be almost impossible to damage and will last for years.

The Scandi trend also provides a great opportunity to invest in a wooden bed with a natural finish that is simple but sturdily made.

You may also consider the use of high-quality faux leather. This material can be easily wiped clean and sanitized and does not usually stain like other fabric.

For The Master Bedroom

A double bed is often the best option for the largest rental bedrooms, as not only do they tend to be cheaper than a queen, king, or California king beds, but the bedding they require is cheaper too.

They offer ample sleeping space, whether the room is to be single or double-occupant, without encroaching on areas that could be used for additional furniture like wardrobes, desks, and chests of drawers.

It may be worth considering an ottoman or divan bed, as these come with hollow bases that a tenant can use to store clutter, out-of-season clothes, additional bedding, books, or anything else besides.

Be careful when selecting furniture of this kind, however, if you invest in a model that is of poor quality, the base or opening mechanism may be easily damaged – causing the best inconvenience and at the worst injury.

For The Second Bedrooms And Box Rooms

Smaller spaces can be tough to furnish in a way that is both practical and comfortable, but there are always solutions.

Here, again, models with built-in storage like ottomans and divans can come in handy, as they free up space in the rest of the room. You could also consider raised options with storage like cupboards and drawers underneath – such as a mid sleeper or cabin bed.

There are even high sleeper designs featuring a built-in desk underneath – ideal for tenants with little space who need to work from home.

Larger second or box rooms may still comfortably fit a double bed, but smaller spaces may be better served with a single bed in order to make the room as usable as possible and to fit in additional storage.

Again, it’s best to invest in a durable frame that will last instead of going cheap and flimsy – for greater tenant satisfaction, environmental responsibility, and long-term savings.

For Younger Tenants

With more and more families renting instead of owning property, suitable provisions must be made for children and young people.

Kids’ beds are at greater risk of damage, with bed-jumping, doodling, restless sleeping, and night-time accidents fairly common – which is why durable materials should again be prioritized.

Depending on the property’s capacity for housing families of a certain size, a landlord may consider installing bunk beds for children to share rooms.

However, this may not be appropriate in smaller properties that would not be able to practically support the number of individuals for which beds have been provided, so it’s important to tread carefully here.

Again, high-sleepers with desks underneath may be a great way to provide space for homework tasks, while sturdy divans or ottomans can be ideal for toy storage. Of course, it’s important that their mechanisms are child-safe, and that there is no risk of anyone becoming trapped.

Additional Sleeping Arrangements

You may also wish to consider installing a fold-out sofa bed or futon, as this increases the capacity to host guests.

Mattresses

If you are a landlord, you may or may not choose to provide your tenants with mattresses.

Certain tenants may prefer not to have to provide their own due to the significant expense, while others may have specific physical conditions or sleeping problems that require a highly specialized product, and so may prefer to select one for themselves.

Short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs, tend to provide a mattress as a rule. In cases such as this, it’s best to select a medium/firm mattress of a suitable size for the bed.

Because the item does not belong to the tenant themselves, you may find that the mattress is treated with a little less care. For this reason, you’ll need something sturdy but affordable. 

Generally speaking, a pocket sprung mattress with high-quality perimeter support will not set you back too much, and is likely to last and be perfectly comfortable. Products in materials like memory foam do not react well to rough treatment and can be costly to replace.

A medium gauge design – around 1.4 gauge – is usually best to accommodate sleepers of most weights.

Be sure to change the mattresses in a rental property every 3-5 years, and consider investing in a protective mattress topper to prevent the worst of possible wear and tear.

By finding a balance between costly “high-end” beds and flimsy furniture at rock bottom prices, and by considering a room’s size and storage requirements, you should be able to select a design that perfectly suits your property.

Carefully plan the precise arrangement between the landlord and tenant regarding decor and furniture, and make sure it is reflected in the rental contract, before committing to any purchases.