Can you decorate a rented house?

Our homes are a reflection of ourselves and the families within them. Whether it’s photos on the mantelpiece, our favourite colours on the walls or trinkets and sentimental items adorning the sideboards; every home tells a different story. Decorating a house is something that the majority of homeowners and dwellers take pride in.

As a landlord, however, deciding what approach to take with tenants around decorating a rented house can be a little tricky. So, can you decorate a rented house? Where do the boundaries lie?

Can you decorate a rented house – yes or no?

When it comes to tenants decorating a rented house, every landlord has their own individual stance on the matter. Whilst some are free and breezy and allow their tenants the freedom, others have ground rules about what changes can and cannot be made.

Ultimately, however, it’s a landlord’s choice. You aren’t legally required to allow your tenants to decorate. Your tenancy agreement could totally prohibit it – and that’s okay. However, it can definitely work in your favour to allow your tenants to put their own stamp on the property.

Structural changes or changing major fixtures and fittings such as windows, doors, kitchens and bathrooms, should always be left to the landlord. If a tenant wishes to change these parts of your property, they should come to you first.

Either way, you should ensure that there is a good level of communication between you and your tenant. Even if it’s just putting a nail or two in the wall, it’s a good idea to ask that they ask your permission. As long as everyone is on the same page, you should be able to avoid disputes.

Can the landlord charge for painting?

The answer to the question ‘can the landlord charge for painting’ is not a totally straightforward one. In some cases, you may be able to charge for painting – but not always.

Essentially, it comes down to fair wear and tear versus damage. If it’s a case of minor scuffs and scrapes on the walls, you cannot charge for painting over this. It’s unlikely that, at the end of a tenancy, your walls are going to be in the same condition as they were at the start of the tenancy. Some wear and tear is reasonable.

If, however, there is obvious damage to the walls such as holes, cracks or drawing for instance, then you should be able to charge for painting. Keeping a detailed photographic inventory of the property before and after tenancies is highly recommended. This way, you can evidence what is fair wear and tear and what constitutes damage.

Additionally, if your tenant has painted the walls without your permission and has not painted back over it before moving out, you may be able to charge for the redecorating. This can come out of their tenancy deposit.

Advantages of allowing your tenants to decorate a rented house

If you are weighing up whether to allow your tenants to decorate a rented house, here are a few benefits that might just sway your decision.

Tenant satisfaction

Giving your tenants a little extra freedom can only be a good thing in terms of tenant satisfaction. Tenants that feel at home within your property are likely to want to stay for longer. And if they’re good tenants, that’s a straightforward and reliable tenancy (and income) for you long-term.

Reduced void periods

Finding new tenants, arranging new tenancies and managing void periods can result in a lot of work and admin for any landlord. Not to mention, void periods are expensive. Longer tenancies work better for everyone involved – it’s a win-win!

Increase your property value

You never know – the changes your tenant wants to make to your property might just increase its value without you having to put the effort or possibly even the pennies in! Let’s say they want to add panelling to the walls or refresh the paintwork. Ultimately, if done well, this is only going to elevate the look of your property and in turn, increase its market value.

Fewer maintenance requests

Allowing your tenant a little more ownership over the property may mean that they are less likely to report minor issues and simply fix them themselves.

Disadvantages of allowing your tenants to decorate a rented house

As with anything, allowing your tenants to decorate a rented house can also come with disadvantages.

Property damage

Allowing your tenants a little extra freedom can backfire. Poorly executed DIY can cause damage to your property. Whether that’s to walls, woodwork or existing fixtures and fittings, handing over responsibility for interior changes certainly poses some risks.

Disagreements

Some landlords may find it easier to just enforce a blanket rule of not allowing their tenants to decorate a rented house, simply to avoid disagreements.

The need for reversal

The good thing about cosmetic decorating is that it can all be reversed between tenancies. However, this can be time consuming and expensive so it’s important to factor this time and cost in if you’re going to allow your tenants to decorate.

Decrease your property value

In the same way that some interior changes can increase your property value, you do leave yourself at risk of decreasing that value too when allowing tenants to decorate. Whether it’s botched jobs or simply wear and tear from making and reversing changes, a lot of decorating can take its toll on a property over time.

The decision is yours – it’s a case of weighing up those advantages and disadvantages. Offering your tenants the freedom to decorate can be worth its weight in gold but, on occasion, you could end up paying the price.

If you’re interested in learning more about landlord insurance, contact our friendly team on 01788 818 670 or get a quote online.