The True Cost Of Empty Rooms And How To Avoid Them

The true cost of an empty room

Let’s be honest: an empty bedroom in your shared house or HMO (Home of Multiple Occupation) is like another hole in your bathtub, when you’re trying to keep the income taps running to fill all the other holes like your mortgage or rent payments, utility bills, maintenance costs, it all keeps piling up while that room just sits there, earning you exactly… £0!
Having been in the Room Rental business for nearly two decades I can tell you that empty rooms will be your biggest loss to your bottom line, and you NEVER get the chance to recoup this lost income!

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Whether you are  a landlord or agent managing multiple properties, or a first timer nervously stepping into the rental game, let me tell you empty rooms aren’t just bad for your bank balance; they’re a source of wasted time, unnecessary stress, and, let’s face it, too many viewings where you start to think, ‘oh well, they’ll do as a housemate’, and you let your guard down just to get the room filled. So, let’s break this down: what’s the real cost of empty rooms, and how can we stop them from haunting your house like the ghost of missed income?

 Let's do some landlord math

1. Money down the drain Every day your room is empty, you’re essentially giving away free money. Let’s say you charge £600 a month for rent—that’s £20 a day gone, poof! Two weeks of being empty? That’s £300 that could’ve paid for… I don’t know, a nice weekend away or 47 overpriced flat whites? (we all have our vices) and don’t get me started on it helping to pay off your credit card!
2. Utility bills don’t care Even if no one’s in the bedroom, the rest of the house still has running costs. Heating the shared areas, hot water, and electricity for the super fast Wi-Fi your existing tenants "can’t live without", you’re still footing those bills. Plus those maintenance jobs still need to be paid as well as any cleaners or gardeners if you have them.
3. More wear-and-tear (and annoyance) Empty rooms may mean more viewings (or ‘showings’ to our friends in the US). And more showings mean more foot traffic and unnecessary visitors for your current tenants. And let’s be honest, showing the same room 15 times to people who “aren’t sure if they want a shared house” is nobody’s idea of a great time.
4. Stress and time-sucking Trying to fill a room can feel like its own part-time job. Between updating your advert, answering questions from people who aren’t suitable anyway, and coordinating viewings, you’ll wonder why you’re not charging yourself an hourly rate. Plus if you’ve ever stood on the doorstep waiting for a potential viewer who never shows up… I feel your pain, that’s half an hour you’ll never get back!
5. You’re tempted to settle for anyone When your room stands empty because you can’t get footfall through the door you become very tempted to put the first person in who wants to take it. Unfortunately, this could lead to you lowering your criteria for your ideal tenant and you may put someone in who’s not quite the right fit for your place or maybe less stable with their employment or income, all of which leads to headaches, stress and let’s be honest, there’s nothing attractive about sleepless nights!
6. Put yourself in their shoes So lets do a visualisation: Your prospective tenant walks into your spare room and says…“OMG that front door, it’s creaking like I’m in a horror movie and what is that smell in this hallway, smells like last week’s takeaway, can someone not open a window? Arrgh! what’s on that carpet is it contagious? 

Be brutally honest with yourself about your room, tenants aren’t just looking for a space they can sleep, they are looking for a place they can love, would you fall in love with this?
Thankfully there’s a solution to avoid turning your property tour into a ‘No thanks, swipe left’ tour.
I’ve created the Spare Room Savvy Toolkit as your perfect resource, your step-by-step guide to creating rooms tenants love and keeping them full with ease, let’s break it down…

So can you fix an empty room in 60 seconds by…..

• Dusting off every surface
• Adding a lamp for cozy lighting
• Tossing in a plant
• Taking a picture in natural daylight
• And boom - your room looks like it’s straight out of Homes & Gardens!

That’s the answer you’ll likely get if you ask online, however, in my experience, if you really want results then you need to put some effort in initially, but I guarantee it will be worth the effort and give you long term, consistent results.

How to really keep those rooms full

1. Make your listing stand out (for all the right reasons) Think of your rental advert like a dating profile for your room—if it’s dull, no one swipes right, you need to be the matchmaker! Use great photos, a catchy headline, and a description that makes people want to live there. Show off what makes your house share special. Is it the location? The vibe? Sell it like it’s the Beyoncé of spare rooms!

Toolkit Hack: The "Levelling Up Your Rooms Desirability" module in the Spare Room Savvy Toolkit will teach you exactly how to stage your property, take picture perfect photos, and list your room so your dream tenants just can’t say no.

2. Create a 'Room that rents itself' (It works hard so you don’t have to.) Create a harmonious living space designed to appeal to your ideal tenants along with magnetic marketing that attracts them. Showing off clean, clutter-free, and inviting spaces, for your perfect tenants who can see themselves living there. Great decor, good lighting, and thoughtful aesthetics go a long way! And if your house is well-maintained and tidy, it says, “This landlord actually cares,” because don’t forget, the viewer will be choosing you too. This means you create the room once to attract your dream housemates and minimise the time and effort in finding them. Oh, and don’t forget the details, great communication with cute signs to keep the house running smoothly and a welcome manual before move-in day go a long way toward making tenants feel like they’ve picked the right home.                                                                             
3. Find the right tenants (fast) Here’s a secret: Not every tenant is the right tenant for your property. Finding the perfect fit isn’t just about speed; it’s about getting the right someone, who respects the house and the other tenants. This makes for a much more harmonious house. The Choosing The Right Tenant Checklist from the toolkit is my go-to resource for spotting red flags, asking the right questions before you even book the viewing, and locking in a tenant you want to stay for the long haul.
4. Market your house share like a pro If you’re not posting your room on multiple platforms, you’re missing out on loads of potential tenants. But it’s not just about being everywhere, it’s about being consistent. Don’t just throw up a few photos and call it a day. Update your listings, keep them fresh, and respond quickly to inquiries. Tenants love a proactive landlord. Then make sure you are doing the viewing like a Pro, I must have done hundreds of viewings in my time and I know there’s a definite procedure to them. Make sure you are welcoming, you’ve prepped the house to show it off and have an order to your showing to make sure you start and end up in the ‘Hero’ area, this will ensure you create a great first and last impression.

Toolkit Hack: I’ve put all this info and more into the ‘Successful Showings’ bonus module in the Toolkit.

5. Make move-in day a breeze Once you’ve decided on the right tenant, don’t ignore your chance to better your communication (ghosting isn’t just for dating), the first day is your chance to shine.A smooth move-in process not only sets the tone for your new landlord/tenant relationship but also makes the tenant feel welcome and valued. And let’s be real, if they’re happy from the start, they’re much more likely to stay long-term. Plus don't under estimate your chance for referrals, I've had so many current tenants reach out to me enquiring if I have another room for a friend, make referrals your best friend. So instead of just handing the keys over in the office, or taking an hour to explain everything at the check in, simply create a welcome manual and send it to them a few days before they move in, they'll thank you for it. And don’t assume they’ll just get it, they really do need House Rules, you can add these to your manual so everyone is on the same page.

Toolkit Hack: Use my 'Welcome Manual Templates' in the bonuses to give tenants all the information they need to settle in. It’s easy, professional, and a total lifesaver for answering all those “How does the heating work?” questions.

Keep your rooms full and your stress levels low

Empty rooms don’t have to be part of your story. Every second you wait is a second your room isn’t earning. With the Spare Room Savvy Toolkit, you’ll have all the tools you need to fill vacancies fast, attract the right tenants, and maximize your profits.
Simply click the 'Find out More' button below for all the intel!