Lighting for Rental - What to buy?

[Tano]

Can anyone offer some opinions on upgrading the lights in a 70's rental property
(the bathroom, toilet and laundry is getting a renovation)

1)What works well for a bathroom? Is it a good idea to put the 3n1 light /exhaust fans?

2)What about a toilet (WC) ? Leave the standard white socket?

3)And any suggestions for a 3x3 laundry?

4)Front wall light?

I am looking for something that is resilent which wont break (no glass covers) , will look good in 10+years time and is value for money. Are there any good shops in Perth to visit?

 

[geoffw]

We are in the process of building a granny flat for rental, so we are perhaps in a slightly different situation to you.

I was impressed by some of the LED lights available- they have light fittings available from $30 each, and have a far longer life time than any fluoro or standard light globe, so less maintenance from you, and very cheap for the tenant to run- at a reasonable cost. Check your lighting specialist. They would work well for loo and laundry. We may even get our own lighting replaced at the same time lighting goes into the GF.

The 3 in 1 lights go well, especially in a cold climate, but those hot lights can, and do, blow, and are expensive to replace. They may need rewiring as well, as they draw a lot more current than a standard light- check that before you buy, I'm not 100% sure. It would depend on whether you already have ventilation and/or heating.

 

[devank]

I bought two of those LED bulbs which looked like from an alien ship. They both died exactly after six months

 

[Tano]

Thanks Geoff,
My brother was pushing for LED lights but i couldnt see the tenants forking out $20+ each time a light needs replacing. And based on the sort of tenants i used to have there , if they found out the lights were $20+ each it would take long for them all to go missing.

Does anyone else use LED and would you recommend it or am i being paranoid?

There is no other heating in the bathroom but i have had problems with my own 3n1 with the big globes dropping out of the unit and smashing on the floor (the moisture in bathroom rusts the base of the heavy light and it breaks away from its base). Has anyone else experienced this before?

 

[DEC]

$10 oysters on all of mine, never had a breakage or a complaint and never had a tenant demand cheaper rental price due to lights.

I use the same in the bathroom with a separate $15 flush mount exhaust fan alongside.
I have had to replace one of these fans in the last 10 years compared to other properties with ixl tastic's have been replaced twice at greater expense.

and have a far longer life time than any fluoro or standard light globe, so less maintenance from you

Its the tenants responsibility to replace lightbulbs in QLD , are other states different?

and very cheap for the tenant to run

Have you ever had a tenant say they are not renting your property because of the types of bulbs you have?

 

[geoffw]

I bought two of those LED bulbs which looked like from an alien ship. They both died exactly after six months

I'm not talking about an LED bulb which fits into a standard fitting. This is a full light fitting which is recessed into the ceiling, something like 20cm across, not downlights. They would require a full electrician install rather than just a screw in- but would need little attention, and wouldn't be removable by the tenant.

 

[S.T]

I do the circular fluoro oysters, they last ages, low profile and buy with the 'warm' colour globes. I managed to pick up 20 of them cheap a few years ago.

 

[Tano]

I do the circular fluoro oysters, they last ages, low profile and buy with the 'warm' colour globes. I managed to pick up 20 of them cheap a few years ago.

I might go with the circular fluoro or LED oysters.

Thanks All

 

[westminster]

Big fan of the fluoro oysters here.

My new builds do have the heated exhaust fan thingies in the bathroom but I don't think they get anymore rent so I wouldn't bother really.

 

[Kinnon Bell]

Big fan of the fluoro oysters here.

My new builds do have the heated exhaust fan thingies in the bathroom but I don't think they get anymore rent so I wouldn't bother really.

They may not get more rent but they would extract moisture from the air preventing mould and other moisture related problems. It would save more than the purchase cost in the long run.

 

[bryn]

I use these: http://www.agmelectrical.com.au/buy-led-light/led-oyster-lights.html

Plastic cover but they look good, are low power led's that will never need replacing and the colour is good (I use warm white).

 

[DEC]

They may not get more rent but they would extract moisture from the air preventing mould and other moisture related problems. It would save more than the purchase cost in the long run.

And so does a $15 exhaust fan.
Like I mentioned above I have had one of these fail in 10 years Vs 2 ixl tastics.
No contest on my balance sheet.

 

[DEC]

I use these: http://www.agmelectrical.com.au/buy-led-light/led-oyster-lights.html

Plastic cover but they look good, are low power led's that will never need replacing and the colour is good (I use warm white).

Yeah right

 

[Kinnon Bell]

And so does a $15 exhaust fan.
Like I mentioned above I have had one of these fail in 10 years Vs 2 ixl tastics.
No contest on my balance sheet.

I'm not saying get the most expensive one out there, just that one is needed.

FWIW, I've had an 18 month old cheapie die in a rental whereas the ixl tastics I have in my ppor are still going strong 4 years on.

 

[mins]

I put square oyster lights in mine