A landlords guide to smart home devices

19/10/2021

The popularity surrounding smart home devices has blossomed over the last few years, as smartphones, WIFI and smart ‘assistants’ (such as Alexa by Amazon) have become more accessible. 

A “smart home” refers to several devices that communicate with one another to make daily household tasks more efficient. When referring to a “smart home”, one is referring to all the devices installed, their networks, and the technologies which allow them to interact. 

Smart home technology allows tenants to receive alerts and allows them to adjust various things around the house at the click of a screen, such as security cameras, thermostats, and lights. 

Recently, landlords have begun to recognise the advantages of installing smart home devices in their rental properties. A survey has shown that more than 75% of tenants would increase their rental budget if smart home devices were included in their rental properties. Similarly, another study showed that 55% of young working professionals would also increase their rental budget if the property had smart locks and security systems. 

Which smart home devices should I add to my rental property?

Safety is one of the most important features that tenants look for when renting a property. Therefore, ensuring you have a modern, reliable security system will improve your chances of attracting new tenants to your rental property.

Physical keys and remotes are gradually being replaced with smart locks which allow for top-tier security without having to handle keys. Smart locks are controlled by smartphones, and tenants can unlock their doors by using a pin code, scanning their phone, or using Bluetooth. This is a benefit for landlords as they do not need to worry about tenants who lose their keys or replace the keys every time a new tenant moves in. 

If smart locks are not within budget or too complicated for your property, smart cameras and motion-detecting spotlights are also great options. Smart cameras will allow you to monitor your property no matter where you are, and smart sensors and lights will also alert tenants to broken windows, open doors, and various maintenance issues such as leaky pipes. 

As smart home devices can be costly, landlords need to ensure the return on investment is worth it. Some tenants may also want the option to opt out of smart home technology, especially since their data and safety can be at risk. It is therefore important to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency when installing this new technology into rental properties. 

Adding smart devices to your rental property will inevitably increase its value, even though some smart home devices, such as smart locks, will cost you more at the outset.

The end goal is that they will attract quality tenants who value safety and living in technologically advanced homes. 

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