The number of people choosing to stay long-term in the same rental property has been steadily growing year-on-year, and with this comes the tenants desire to make-over the magnolia and put their personal stamp on a rental to make it feel more like home. However, allowing a tenant to decorate is a relatively new concept, and has become quite a controversial topic in landlord spheres, with both sides of the argument making reasonable and compelling points. If you are a landlord that is considering whether you should allow your tenants to decorate, follow our advice on how to reap the benefits and avoid the pitfalls.
Much research has been carried out over the years on this topic and in general, tenants aren’t asking for the world – they just want the ability to personalise aspects of their long-term property to make it feel more like home. Before a tenancy begins, the majority of landlords make the sensible decision to paint an entire property in neutrals, to create a blank canvas, that will appeal to the maximum number of potential applicants. But this white, cream and magnolia landscape can become tiresome, and void of any personality for tenants, especially when they also aren’t allowed to put any art, photos or pictures on the wall in fear of causing damage. We know there are many ways to quickly, and temporarily, add a bit of character to a space, but for long-term tenants this may not be enough. Good, long-term tenants are what most landlords aspire to get, and one way to encourage tenants to stay longer is to give them the freedom to make the property into their home.
Financially it also makes sense (most of the time!). Even simple re-decoration, such as painting a wall in a different colour can be a fairly expensive task, from buying the paint, decorating materials, and allocating the time to do it. Allowing your tenants to undertake the job spares you the expense, and also leaves your property looking fresh, resulting in either a potentially more desirable property, or a shorter void period between tenancies due to you not having to re-paint. Additionally, if your tenants are willing to shed this expense on your property, they are obviously taking pride in living there, and are showing a commitment to taking care of it.
However, setting clear ground-rules is important. Without a pre-existing set of rules in place, tenants can technically do as they please, leaving you with some potentially questionable decorating decisions. Be very clear about what you are willing to permit, for example if you are happy for tenants to paint the walls but would prefer them to keep the wood-work white, then have it written down beforehand, so everyone is on the same page about what is to be expected. A way to do this is to discuss a tenants plans when the question of decorating first comes up. It may be that they just want to hang a few pictures up, or they could be at the other end of the spectrum and are looking to tear down a wall between the kitchen and living room. Either way, this discussion can allow both parties to voice their concerns or desires and allows you to establish expectations about how the property needs to be returned at the end of the tenancy. This will leave both parties happy, and hopefully avoid future disputes.
It is perfectly reasonable for a landlord to ask the tenants to return the property in the same decorative condition as when it was let out initially (minus fair wear and tear). This means if you’ve allowed your tenants to paint a wall red during the tenancy, you can expect them to re-paint the wall to the same pre-existing shade of white before they leave- as long as there is an agreement in place to this effect. A thorough inventory and schedule of condition can help with this, as it provides proof of the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy. It may be that the tenants have a flair for interiors, have done the decorating to a high standard and you love the outcome. If this is the case, then you don’t have to ask them to change the property back to the same décor as when it was let out, but it gives you the option if the decorating is not up to the same standard.
Open communication, flexibility from both parties, and a long-term relationship is key to allowing tenants to redecorate. However, the rewards you can gain if you allow them to do this are substantial. Good tenants make your life a lot easier, and good long-term tenants are every landlord’s dream, so allowing them to decorate could be in the best interest of both parties involved. Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on, the team at Aquarius Homes can help you navigate the tricky world of lettings. Get in touch with our ARLA trained agents at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to find out more.
