QUOTE(Misti @ Sep 22 2011, 08:49 PM)
Furnished tends to fall into categories (in my experience) of part-furnished (bits and bobs, but you'll probably have to buy some furniture to fill the place out), furnished (the very basics), furnished with appliances (white goods, maybe a hoover), and full-of-the-landlords-rubbish.
The current one had everything I needed, and was cheap. It means though that many of the items are not really up to scratch (broken dining chair and murderous vacuum cleaner being prime examples). I would rather live in an unfurnished or part-furnished place where I could have more of my own things and taste; but this was the best option I found in the short time I had to look. It means I can defer buying appliances and large items of furniture to a time when I'm less broke.
There doesn't seem to be any hard-and-fast rules with furnished properties. You just have to view-and-see, and then muddle things together. No toaster here, for example, which considering the oven doesn't have a grill, I considered essential!
I guess I've been lucky with furnished lets, at least since I was an employed person as opposed to a student.
The first one in London they replaced the sofa for me at the start of the let because it wasn't up to scratch and replaced the fridge later on when it started to be erratic.
The best one though, was my first after leaving uni. I rented off an OAP couple who had two rented properties as a pension investment. I rented a 2 bedroom bungalow with a drive, garage and gardens at the front and rear. As part of my tenancy agreement I had to allow the landlords' access to the garage and they maintained the gardens (they were nothing fancy, just a lawn and a few bedding plants). I offered to pay rent by standing order, but their preferred method was for me to leave a cheque and the rent book in the garage once a month. It might have been slightly eccentric but it worked well for all of us. They never put the rent up in the 4 years I was living there - they were so pleased to have a tenant who paid up every month and kept the place reasonably clean and tidy. The only time there was a problem, quite a nasty leak due to a failed stop-###### in the loft, they sorted it out very quickly and made sure the redecorating was done as soon as possible.
When things go wrong with my own house I sometimes wish I was still renting!
