Void refurbishment cost in Edinburgh, what drives the number

The cost drivers in a let property void

The first driver is condition on the day the keys come back. Fair wear against damage, whether the kitchen and bathroom are serviceable or finished, whether the decoration can be freshened or has to be stripped, and whether flooring can be cleaned or has to be replaced. That assessment, made properly at check-out with the inventory in hand, is what makes the rest of the programme predictable.

The second is compliance, and this is where voids differ from owner-occupier work entirely. The re-let date depends on certification being in place: electrical installation condition reporting and any remedials it raises, gas safety, interlinked alarms and detection, and the repairing standard generally. If the property is an HMO, amenity standards and fire safety provision are part of the scope rather than an extra.

The third is the turnaround window itself. A programme compressed to end a vacancy costs more to deliver than the same works with room to breathe, because trades have to overlap, materials have to be on site in advance, and there is no slack for a lead time. That is a legitimate cost and we would rather name it than hide it in a rate.

The fourth is durability. A void specification is chosen to survive tenancies, not to photograph well once. Repairable flooring, grout-free wet areas, robust ironmongery and washable finishes cost more at first fix and less over three tenancies, and specifying them is the difference between one refurbishment and a recurring one.

• Condition on check-out, assessed against the inventory rather than assumed
• Electrical condition reporting and the remedials it raises
• Gas safety, heating servicing and any replacement it triggers
• Interlinked alarms, detection and repairing standard items
• HMO amenity, fire safety and licence conditions where applicable
• How compressed the turnaround window is, and how much overlap it forces
• Whether decoration can be freshened or has to be stripped back
• Flooring replacement against cleaning, and the choice of repairable finishes
• Kitchen and bathroom: serviceable, part replacement, or full refit
• Whether the works can be booked as one programme or must be phased around access
• Stair access, permits and how waste leaves the building on a tight programme

What makes one void cost several times another

One flat comes back from a long, careful tenancy. The certification is current, the kitchen and bathroom are serviceable, the decoration takes a freshen rather than a strip, and the flooring cleans up. The void is short: clean, touch up, replace a handful of items, test, photograph and re-let. The number is small and predictable because nothing has failed.

Another flat comes back after several short tenancies with no interim work. The electrical report raises remedials, the alarms are not interlinked to current standard, the bathroom sealant has failed and the floor beneath it is soft, the kitchen doors have gone, every room needs stripping and repainting, and the agent needs it back on the market inside a fortnight. Now there is compliance work with certification, a wet area rebuilt properly rather than resealed, joinery replacement, full decoration, new flooring, and a compressed programme with overlapping trades.

The difference is not the size of the flat. It is deferred maintenance meeting a deadline, which is the most expensive combination in lettings work, and the reason a planned specification pays for itself across tenancies.

What a quote from us includes, and what it never includes

Voids are quoted as a fixed scope against a date, with one invoice and a documented handover pack, because that is what an agent or portfolio landlord actually needs to sign off.

• Included: survey of the void, a written scope and a programme against your re-let date
• Included: the named works, protection of the common stair, and waste removal
• Included: certification for the works we carry out, and a photographic handover record
• Included: one point of contact and one invoice across all trades in the scope
• Never included: tenant recharge decisions, which are yours to make from our record
• Never included: statutory inspections we have not been instructed to arrange
• Never included: works to common parts, or anything the factor is responsible for
• Never included: acceleration beyond a lead time a supplier cannot meet

What to establish before you ask anyone to quote

Voids price accurately when the date and the compliance position are known up front. Bring those and a scope can be written on the first visit.

• What is the target re-let date, and is it fixed?
• Is the check-out report and inventory comparison available?
• Is the electrical condition report current, and does it raise remedials?
• Is the gas safety record current, and how old is the heating?
• Is the property an HMO, or intended to become one?
• Are you specifying for one tenancy or for a portfolio standard across properties?
• Are keys and unrestricted access available for the whole window?
• Who signs off scope changes once work has started, and how quickly?