If you are looking to furnish your property in order to let it out then it is important that you furnish it to the right standards. Consider that it must comply with safety regulations, include all the requirements of the rental agency and have a wow factor which will result in your clients coming back or recommending you to others.

Furnishings
Each room must have adequate furniture for the guests' needs and we list below the minimum for an average 1 bedroom property. Usually a 1 bed property will sleep up to 4 - 2 in the bedroom and another two in the sitting room.

Sitting Room
Sufficient seating needs to be provided for the maximum number of guests that could be staying at the property. This might include; Three piece suite, or two sofas, or four lounge chairs, coffee table. Occasional light.

Dining Room
Dining table, chairs sideboard/dresser/storage.

Kitchen
Modern cooker, fridge/freezer or separate units, washing machine/tumble dryer, (in an apartment consider a washer/dryer) Microwave - not essential, but becoming more popular. Kitchen equipment - Crockery, cutlery, glasses, cooking knives, chopping board, saucepans, frying pan, wok, electric kettle, toaster, coffee/tea mugs/cups/saucers, colander, baking tins, bottle and can opener etc.

Bedrooms
Beds (complying to Fire and Furnishing regulations), with mattress protectors, wardrobe, bedside table, bedside lights, chair, chest of drawers/dressing
table, adequate storage for the number of occupants.

Bathroom/shower room
Shaver point, wall cabinet, toilet roll holder and towel rail. General Household equipment-Vacuum cleaner and tools, brushes, dustpan, ironing board & iron.

Garden/balcony/terrace
Garden games, garden furniture - table, chairs, recliners.

Other Considerations

1. Safety - make sure furnishings comply with the Bulgarian Soft Furnishings act (they should have a label on them). The furnishings we supply at Abel Interiors do comply.
2. Seating - sufficient for the maximum number of beds including 'sofa beds' or 'put up beds'. This includes the sitting room and the dining area.
3. Electrical points - often the developers put in insufficient or inappropriately placed electric points. Make sure the developers put points in the right place before you complete as the developer will often not allow third parties to add them afterwards.
4. Cleanliness - make sure your apartment or villa is always clean. Replace towels and linen often. If it is clean it is more likely to be looked after
5. Make it homely - have a selection of DVDs, games, cards, magazines and books for your Guests to use.
6. Instructions - have a booklet available showing how things work.
7. Things to do booklet - have a booklet containing local attractions, ski hire and lift hire prices (if appropriate), good restaurants, bus timetables, taxi phone numbers.
8. Emergency numbers - have numbers and addresses of local doctors, dentists, police, and location of nearest supermarket.
9. Safety signs - in bathrooms (slippery floor), on entrance door (nearest fire exit), in sitting room/bedroom (no smoking).
10. Walls - Sometimes painting one wall of the sitting room or bedroom a different colour can make a big difference to the look and feel of the property and differentiate your apartment from the others in the development. If you choose to paint or decorate, keep to neutral colours. Some wall pictures or shelves are a useful addition. Abel Furniture can decorate walls on request and supply pictures and shelving.
11. Lighting - ensure that there are sufficient lights (including bedside lights - both sides of a double bed). You will need appropriate lighting for wet areas such as over baths or in wet rooms. Also consider low wattage bulbs! Abel Furniture can supply lighting on request.
12. Trailing flexes - make sure that trailing flexes are well out of the way so that your clients (and cleaners) are unlikely to fall over them.
13. Balconies - if you have a balcony then you should have balcony furniture - table and chairs.
14. Terrace - if you have a terrace then you should have recliner type seating and a sun umbrella.
15. Fireplaces and barbeques - ensure your clients know where to obtain firewood or charcoal. They will also need instructions on what to do with the ash!
16. Welcome letter - as the owner of the property it is often nice to welcome visitors to your property with a little note.
17. Welcome pack - if you have a self catering apartment or villa then chances are that when your guests arrive they will not have had a chance to visit the local supermarket. A nice touch is to leave a welcome pack. This could containing coffee, tea, sugar, milk, butter, bread, jam, biscuits. Sometimes a bottle of the local wine goes down well (and at about £1 a bottle it is well worth it)!
18. Storage - in order to reduce the likelihood of damage to your apartment (especially ski apartments) you should make it clear where ski boots and equipment should be stored (apartments often have storage areas).
19. Smells - sometimes unused apartments can start to smell. The Bulgarian waste water system often includes a drain in the bathroom floor. When this dries out it can smell! Keep it flushed with water!
20. Hangers - there must be plenty of hanging space and hangers.