CEO of Johns & Co has just launched a custom furnishing business for busy – and overseas – landlords
In this bustling metropolis of ours, some of us are landlords, some of us are renters and some of us are both. It’s complicated. Now both can benefit from an innovative new scheme that allows tenants to have input in how their flat looks, and lets landlords divorce themselves from the aesthetic side of things entirely.
Four years ago, the sales, lettings and property management agent Johns&Co was born, with offices in London and the Far East – now they’ve come up with cunning plan, all centred around Canning Town. They call it Custom Furnished, and it’s kicking off within the swanky new development at London City Island.
Recognising that generation rent is the future, Johns&Co is making life easier and more fun for both landlords and prospective tenants. According to John Morley, founder and MD of Johns&Co, “Ninety-nine per cent of people in London want rental accommodation that’s fully-furnished,” which means if an overseas investor, for example, is buying an apartment that they may never see, they still need to get it furnished – extra hassle.
If Johns&Co can curate the entire contents of a new-build apartment, from the chairs to the duvet covers to the cutlery, all the new owner has to do is sign on the dotted line. But what if they curate not one, but four different packages – all with different furniture, colour schemes, textiles, patterns and finishes? Then the investor can offer their potential tenants a say in their surroundings, and encourage them to stay longer. It’s a win for the landlord and for the tenant.
As for the cost, when you’re buying somewhere, another £5,000 or so to get it professionally styled and fully furnished is a small percentage of your overall budget, and saves a lot of time. Of course, the likes of contract furnisher David Phillips has been offering furniture packages and installation for a while, so Johns&Co has gone one step further – it also finds the tenants for your London City Island pad.
New flat, new furnishings. Instead of trudging wearily to IKEA, tenants arrive to find rugs, mirrors, lamps, prints and a dining table all waiting for them. And they’ve had the choice from four collections, all named after stylish cities: New York, Geneva, Tokyo and Paris.
For anyone after the ultimate in turn-key occupancy this could be the answer; however, renters allergic to identikit living beware: it’s probably best not to visit the neighbours.
London City Island properties are available to buy and to rent through Johns&Co with prices starting at £325,000 or £330 per week for a studio. Custom Furnished packages start at £3,912 plus VAT. Visit johnsand.co/custom-furnished