Why Furniture Rentals are Surging Across London & Beyond

You’ve no doubt heard of home staging, or the readying of a property for sale or letting out by increasing its visual appeal, through activities from decluttering and cleaning to depersonalising and furnishing. It also lets viewers form an emotional connection by allowing them to picture themselves living in the place. But you may not realise that the notion of hiring furniture as part of this process (and for general furnishing) is gathering pace, both in the UK’s capital and elsewhere.

In the highly competitive prime central London market, there’s typically a feeling of urgency for swift property transactions. So furniture hire for home staging is a powerful tool for optimising rental income or speeding up sales and securing the best possible price. What’s more, the service has evolved from a basic offering of budget options to a premium service aimed at the top end of the market. It highlights a property’s top features while minimising any weaknesses and helping to create a welcoming atmosphere.

Reasons for the rise and rise of furniture hire in London

There are various reasons why hiring furniture is becoming more common, both for home staging and general use, in London and beyond. Here are some of them:

•       Renting: the new normal?

Especially among younger consumers, who often hire bikes to cross town or cars for day trips, there’s a culture of rentals which is driving the furniture hire trend. Many value experience, education and technology over large, upfront purchases. It’s all about access rather than ownership, marking a shift from previous generations, in which people defined themselves more in terms of the things they owned and renting wasn’t deemed ‘fashionable’, or even had negative connotations attached.

Equally, fashion brands are increasingly offering designer clothes on a short-term lease for a fraction of the cost of buying upfront, while major retailers are introducing furniture rental schemes.

And according to the 2021 census, more than half (53%) of households in the capital were renting their homes. So furnished properties attract a mobile population, minimising void or empty periods and the subsequent loss of rental income.

•        Flexibility

Renting items provides unparalleled flexibility for short-term living arrangements, allowing you to furnish a new place quickly without a long-term commitment, while you decide what the permanent set-up is going to be. When you move on, you don’t have to take furniture – which may not suit the new place – with you. Modern life demands solutions which are more flexible than the purchasing model. Additionally, a large outlay can represent an unjustifiable expense if you know you’re likely to be moving on soon.

And since furniture pieces don’t always have sentimental value, it’s easy to leave them behind or hand them back. Apart from anything else, renting is a good way of trying out something and seeing if you like having it at home, before you commit.

•     Lower upfront costs

In the short term, renting is cheaper than buying outright, with lower upfront expenses. That may mean you can afford to install higher-quality pieces than you would not otherwise have the budget for.

•       The sustainable choice

Hiring pieces also helps the environment. With an average of 22 million items of furniture discarded annually UK-wide, much of it destined for landfill, leasing is a more sustainable approach and helps tackle the issue of overproduction, while contributing to reuse and the circular economy.

•      Working from home

The move towards remote working has led to a greater need for home office furniture – renting can be an easy way to meet those demands flexibly.

Furniture rental from McGlashans Interiors

At McGlashans Interiors, founded in 1988, we specialise in creating stunning homes with bespoke, high-end furniture that’s ready for sale or hire with immediate delivery.

Take a closer look at our property staging services and luxury furniture rental packages. Alternatively, visit our showrooms on London’s Crawford Street for personalised assistance from our interiors experts.

Get in touch with the team today, and we’ll take it from there.