When looking for rental property, one of the main amenities that many tenants now expect to be included is a good broadband connection. Even if the plan isn’t included in the rent, the property should at least have access to the best connectivity. All landlords, particularly those offering short-term lets or executive homes, should consider this to help ensure a quick take-up by new tenants. Whether your target renters are students, young families who may want great broadband for streaming or even young professionals who work on a hybrid basis, strong internet connectivity is necessary for most people in 2025.
While the rental market is by no means stagnant, it’s never a bad idea to increase your property’s attractiveness to current and potential renters. This is particularly important if you’re letting properties in a building with many tenants. Good broadband, particularly in this age of working remotely, is an excellent way of doing this.
Why should I provide broadband for my lets?
If you offer fast broadband speeds in your property, which will give tenants reliable connectivity from the very first day, then you will probably find it is easier to let. Since the pandemic, more and more employers are allowing employees to adopt a hybrid work approach, with some days spent working from home and others in the office. This means they must have reliable, fast internet connectivity to do their job effectively. Those properties that offer good broadband are far more likely to be snapped up before others that don’t.
In fact, not having good broadband may be a deal-breaker for some prospective tenants. If the home exists in a tricky spot to even get strong WiFi it will almost certainly push a property to the bottom of some renters’ lists.
There is nothing in law or regulation that requires a landlord to provide broadband in a property but the convenience of having something in place from day one can be incredibly appealing to renters. Being in an area that already has access to plenty of reliable and fast broadband speeds is something that can make a real difference in your sales pitch.
Create a good reputation
If you don’t already have IPS or fibre optic cable installed, a potential tenant may approach you about doing so. Typically, this involves drilling and additional cable management within a property to keep things neat and tidy. It may well be that a tenant would want to consider adding additional access points to utilise the space to the best of their ability. It’s worth remembering that the process is fairly noisy, so give your tenant a heads up if the home is occupied.
Not only does this have the potential to disturb others, but it may also cause damage and require repair work on the walls. If you have broadband installed, you will be able to have access points, put them where you want them, run cables where it suits you and improve the aesthetic of the property.
Enhance your conversion rates
There is increasing evidence to suggest that inclusive internet in rental properties is a significant draw for potential tenants. If the people you are targeting are heavy internet users, they will be interested in following the latest technology and the modern convenience of broadband. Research shows that most young professionals in the UK are not happy with the Wi-Fi provision in their rented property, and most would be happy renting property with pre-installed internet access.
If you are looking at ways to improve your chances of renting your property out, there are many reasons why you should consider offering good broadband for your tenants. The benefits could place you very favourably in the rental market, helping to ensure that your property is snapped up as soon as possible by the right tenants.
