Mind the gap: minimise your void properties Prospective tenants will prefer to see a property where works are being done rather than one that needs work. Leave swatches for paint, curtain material or carpet in the flat so they can see what you are planning. Marketing your property effectively, if a tenant is already in situ, means being on good terms with that tenant. That way, you can ask them to keep the property looking clean and tidy when you want to show it to prospective tenants. "Your existing tenant can tell them what a great landlord you are," says Rosalind Florence, head of lettings for Glentree International. "Outgoing tenants" views make all the difference to prospective tenants. They are often looking for new accommodation due to a bad experience with their previous landlord who didn't respond to reported problems efficiently or make repairs in good time. Clearly, the better presented the property, the more likely it is to rent quickly. "The new development market is a furnished market and properties that are fully functional with furnishings in place helps tenants visualise the end result," says Ms Townrow. Good-quality furnishing can even bump up your rental income and reduce voids, according to David Phillips, a furniture company that specialises in supplying landlords and property developers. In a survey of clients with investment portfolios, it cites one landlord who owns five one-bedroom flats in the Skylon Building in Poplar, east London. He spent around £20,000 furnishing the properties and increased his annual rental income from £79,040 to £86,840 - and the average time taken to let each property considerably reduced. "His investment in good furniture will have paid back in about 18 months," says Andrew Clark, MD at David Phillips. There's a tendency for landlords to buy the cheapest furniture possible, thinking that they are furnishing student digs, but landlords sometimes forget that the rental market isn't just for people who can't afford to buy. The average tenant paying £350 [per week] in London is on an annual salary of upwards of £50,000 and they will want high-quality beds, wardrobes and tables. Furniture should be considered as important as a new kitchen or bathroom in terms of its ability to increase returns on investment for landlords. Longer tenancies are another way to minimise the risk of voids. Many tenants give notice in the run-up to Christmas, according to Ludlow Thompson estate agents. So, by opting for an 18-month contract that sees the tenancy expire in busy summer months, landlords will find themselves re-marketing their properties when voids are less of a risk. The other option is to accept a lower rent over the low season, or at least avoid raising the current one. "Most landlords would prefer to keep rents at the same level each year to keep good tenants rather than hiking and risking that they will leave," says George Spencer, chief executive of Rentify, an online lettings company. How do you compete with new buy-to-let investors? >> Understanding the buy-to-let property market >> Look beyond London for buy-to-let property >> How to make more money - the right way >>