As a tenant and having almost rented out a place I used to own, there are a couple of practical tips regarding the finer detail of the house and its contents which I think should be part of the standard advice.
Furniture and contents:
If there is anything in the house that is especially valuable or that you particularly want to keep - ie. an antique, big plant, favourite chair, whatever, remove it. It is too much of a risk to let someone else mind it the way you would and it is unreasonable to expect that they should.
You could store furniture covered up in the loft if necessary, but make sure the agent (if you use one) is specifically asked to tell the tenant not to touch anything you have stored in the loft (let the tenant have access to the loft).
If you need to decorate the house, paint it in neutral tones rather than papering. Paint is less personalised, cheaper and more easily redone than damaged wallpaper. Similarly, if you need new flooring, replace carpet with cheap&cheerful laminate flooring - much cleaner and much harder to damage.
Agents usually like you to 'dress' the house with nice pictures and ornaments etc., to make it feel homey for prospective tenants, but in my experience these are best removed on securing a let as tenants often have their own pictures etc. and it'll save them asking whether or not they can add more picture hooks etc, to put their own things up.
Do a full inventory and condition check on the place and get the tenant to do the same - these condition checks are invaluable in case there's an issue over damage.
If there is a fireplace, make sure it works and the chimney is clean. Tenants will probably want to use it even if its not been lit for years.
The law now states minimum standards for furniture and equipment, and that's great - but don't put too much into the house tho cos less in the house means more scope for the tenant to make the place their own and its less for you to worry about. This means it's a good idea to ask the tenant what they need you to supply. Many tenants now use all their own kitchen equipment and have their own TV - meaning you don't necessarily need to leave these things for them. Make sure all that you do leave is detailed on the inventory.
Please, please make sure that:
- All blinds and curtain poles are securely attached - have had several fall on me
- That the cooker and microwave are clean and work - have had lets where these have been unusable till deep cleaned.
- That you leave a full set of instructions about how to work the central heating - for both winter and summer settings - no two systems are the same.
- If you have a garden that you would like the tenant to maintain, then leave a lawnmower - tenants bring a lot of things, but not normally a lawnmower.
- Tenants interested in houses often have children - sometimes young children and they'll want to put up things like stairgates and nursery fireguards (which'll require holes in the wall). Clarify whether or not this is needed with the tenant/agent at the time of the let.
- be practical - if you have for example an unmarked cream-coloured carpet in one of the rooms, this is hard to keep clean at the best of times and is unlikely to still be unmarked after a let. Consider changing this sort of thing.
Establish the procedure surrounding the house early on - i.e. if you want to deal with repairs etc., yourself, then leave your contact details for the tenant along with any advice. if you wish the agent to do all that, then make sure this is in place at the time you engage them and work out with the agent the cost/parameters of how this will work.
All that should make things a bit more straightforward