For investors, creating new ways to keep your rental properties fresh and enticing for tenants can be a challenge – but with the emergence of smart home technology, the opportunity for an added layer of personalisation is apparent.
By using new technology in your property to your advantage, tenants (and landlords) can have increased access to the property when away, more direct control of features such as temperatures, moods and security, and a new level of synergy between appliances, resulting in an efficient household that can run on clockwork.
Here is a list of some ways to control your property using tech.
Have a strong internet connection
With most smart home devices completely dependant on an internet connection to work, having a stable Wi-Fi connection throughout your property is imperative. For investors with student housing specifically, assignments and work deadlines can be crucial, which is why companies such as RW invest offer high-speed broadband throughout their student accommodation, a necessity with students’ online learning needs.
A speed of 3mpbs is needed for the devices to run, which nearly all providers will offer, but it’s still important to ensure you have the right conditions. A good tip would be to ensure devices are clear from obstruction, and away from interference with other machines, so that they can work the way you want them to, when you need them to. The last thing you want is a property full of smart home devices that are intermittent, as this can prove frustrating for all involved.
Secure your property
New advancements in surveillance technology, and its ease-of-use through smartphone applications, can give added peace of mind to both landlords and tenants. Smart security camera systems, available in a variety of different shapes and sizes, allow you to stream a clear view of given areas to a smartphone app, even when far away from the property.
What’s even better is that most of these units are conservative with recordings, and save relevant footage to the app itself, saving both space and previously required maintenance for security cameras that would quickly fill.
Schedule your property
Using your different smart devices in tandem can be a brilliant way to assist your daily routine. Linking devices together, for example, could turn on lights, heating, and music all at specific points in the day. For investors and landlords, this could also be a great way of appealing to tenants that want their living space to adapt around their needs.
The Amazon Alexa assistant specifically features a ‘routines’ setting in-app, and It’s extremely user-friendly for the layman. Tenants can plan the day ahead and get their devices working before they’ve even reached home, potentially having the heating going and the kettle boiling.
Integrate your old kit
Smart plugs and adapters can prove perfect for those wanting to upgrade existing electronics and furniture. Plugging an ordinary lamp, for example, into a smart plug can transform it into a device that can be turned on and off remotely from your smartphone and set on a timer for mornings/evenings. Not only does this put you in better control of your home, but it is also an efficient way of saving electricity.
Those wanting to give a property a more updated feel may find that this is a useful and cost-effective way of renovating, as appliances don’t need to be replaced to integrate.