How Much Does It Cost to Furnish a Rental Property in Cardiff?
It’s one of the first questions landlords ask, and the honest answer is that it depends on how you do it. Here are real numbers, plus the hidden costs that make “cheap” furniture expensive.
Package prices
| Property | What’s included | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1-bed | Bed frame, mattress, 3-door wardrobe, bedside table, 2-seater sofa, coffee table | £699 + VAT (£838.80 inc. VAT) |
| 2-bed | Everything in the studio pack, plus a second bed and wardrobe, a dining table with 4 chairs, a TV unit and extra bedside tables | £1,299 + VAT (£1,558.80 inc. VAT) |
| HMO (3+ rooms) | Room-by-room specification | Bespoke quote with bulk pricing |
Our packages include delivery and assembly in Cardiff and South Wales. Prices are correct at the time of writing; see landlord packages for the latest.
The hidden costs of doing it yourself
Buying piece by piece online can look cheaper, but add up the rest:
- Delivery charges from several retailers, often on different days
- Assembly. A double wardrobe can take a couple of hours, and a whole flat can take a full weekend.
- Van hire and fuel if you collect yourself
- Disposing of old furniture. In Wales you must use a registered waste carrier, and fly-tipping fines land on whoever arranged the removal.
- Fire safety risk if second-hand items turn up without labels
The biggest cost: empty weeks
Every week a property sits empty costs you a week’s rent. On a flat let at £900 a month, that is roughly £208 a week (£900 × 12 ÷ 52). If doing it yourself adds two weeks to the turnaround, you have lost over £400 before you’ve bought anything.
Don’t miss the tax relief
For residential lets, HMRC’s Replacement of Domestic Items Relief lets you deduct the cost of replacing furniture, furnishings and appliances on a like-for-like basis. It does not cover the first furnishing of a property. Keep invoices and ask your accountant how it applies to you.
Rough budgeting rule
- Price the furniture.
- Add delivery, assembly and disposal, or choose a supplier that includes them.
- Add the weekly rent multiplied by the extra weeks a DIY approach would take.
- Compare the totals, not the sticker prices.
This article is general information for landlords, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the latest position with Rent Smart Wales, your local council or a qualified adviser before acting.
Need a rental furnished quickly? uBee supplies landlord furniture packages across Cardiff and South Wales, delivered and assembled on site. See our landlord packages or call 029 2294 0071.