When we bought our flat in Fulham in 2007, just before the property market kind of crashed, we turned to DFS to purchase our sofa because our savings were eaten up by deposits and stamp duties and we wanted to break the cost - something a lot of online retailers just don't offer even if their products can run your bill into the thousands. The process of setting up this credit line was quick and easy in store and we received our sofa a few weeks later.

We also chose DFS because of the variety of products they offered, the friendly sales service (we weren't pushed into making a purchase and we were free to test, sit on as many sofas we wanted and take as much time as we needed during the purchase process) and the fact that all of their sofas are handmade to order here in the UK.

The door to the flat was rather narrow and I remember the panic when the DFS track arrived and I thought, that's it, the sofa will not go through! The DFS staff took care of everything and where very re-assuring, took the sofa feet off and moved the sofa into the allocated room. A perfect sofa that one was, with tiny arms, making it a 3-seater where only a two seater would have fitted otherwise.

We got a matching footstool with that and stain-guarded both, and in 2016, the sofa still looks as good as new and has in total been enjoyed by us for 4 years and by 3 different renters since.

If I were to buy a new sofa today for our rental flat, I would go back to DFS and here are my top 5 picks based on the design (looking for something that fits right in with our renters, all young professionals in their 30s), the size, materials and price.

1/ The HARDY in slate

At 212cm this is a long one but you can imagine yourself or your renters enjoying this sofa without having to plump up the cushions every other day. At the time I was writing this post, the Hardy was priced at £299, which for a 3-seater is the lowest price you'd get such good quality I think.

2/ The ZINC in mushroom

The 3-seater version of the ZINC will set you back the price of 4 caramel Frappuccinos (or thereabout) per month for 4 years on their 0% interest credit (or £799 if you pay upfront). A colour that you can easily combine within a rental flat and with mid-century style, the ZINC would be perfect on the rental brochure, helping my flat get snapped up on the first few viewings!

3/ The QUARTZ in stone

With its peculiar chunky arms and goes-with-everything grey colour, the Quartz from DFS' collaboration with FRENCH CONNECTION is the sofa to go if you want a stylish vibe with a touch of Scandi in your space. I would team the Quartz with one of the FCUK tables, like the HENRY. I've seen both in the DFS and FCUK show-rooms and they both feel pretty in-destructible. Which is exactly what you want for a rental flat.

4/ The Slate in pink combination

OH MON DIEU. Seriously, this sofa is so gorgeous, I am considering it for MY OWN HOME, sorry rental flat! Shown above in the pink combination, the SLATE actually comes in more than 10 colour ways and what's more, the covers are removable so if your renter happens to throw a bit of red whine on them, don't get upset, just send the cushion cover to the dry cleaner and job done. and every few years, give it a refresh be taking all of the covers to the dry cleaners!

5/ The FLIP in mocha

Easy on the eye and your renters will thank you because this sofa will be turned into a guest bed for those unpredicted sleepovers! At £279, the FLIP won't break the bank so you can spend a little (or a lot) on other rental flat essentials like coffee tables, tv units and fab dining tables and chairs.

So if you're in the process of changing or buy a new sofa, do visit one of their show rooms. My nearest one is in Croydon's Purley Way, and it's massive store! Do plan to be there for some time and... you can thank me later!

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