# tenants want to repaint house interior



## MC D (16 Apr 2008)

just wondering what i should do i have two tenants who have been renting a house off me the past two years everthing is going grand if anything had had to be fixed or repaired i have got it sorted immediately and they have been good tenants. Last week the asked about repainting the inside of the house at the moment it is mainly cream handy for repainting if the tenants ever left however they want to pick their own colours for the living room terracotta and paint one of the bedrooms liliac. I was talking to them and they intend to rent it long term and next month they want to sign another 1 year contract. Just wondering what do you think i should do should i let them pick their own colours or should i just get it painted cream as it allready is?


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## bacchus (16 Apr 2008)

Anything here of interest to you?


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## MC D (16 Apr 2008)

ye thanks for that bacchus, i have no problem with them repainting the house its just the fact that i had intended to have it all done in magnolia again however they want to "personalise" the house and pick their own colours which might be grand for them however if and when they move out i will have to repaint over them again


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## emnc (16 Apr 2008)

If they've been good tenants and want to stay another year, then Lilac and terracota wont kill you!! Its only 2 rooms after all! and if they were thrashing the place it would cost you a lot more in redecorating.


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## Welfarite (16 Apr 2008)

Count you blessings and let them make their own home of it! After all, they are good tenants and will probably stay longer if they are happy in their environment!

If you need any further convincing, read some of the threads in AAM about tenants from hell!


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## Lulu123 (16 Apr 2008)

I think you should allow them to paint the interior. What harm can it do?  
At the end of the lease you would probably have had to give it a quick coat of magnolia paint just to freshen it up so it cant hurt.
Also rents are going down so if they decide to move out you might not get the same rent for it so I would happily offset the cost of repainting over the same rent for another year and happy and mindful tenants.


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## MC D (16 Apr 2008)

Ye fair enough i probably will as i said i have a good relationship with them and would like to think i'm fair with them. I was just wondering what you thoughts were thats all


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## Bubbly Scot (16 Apr 2008)

I'd let them do it, you could always ask them to run the colours by you before they paint. A word from the wise though, don't let them wallpaper or put borders up cos they will really make work for you when they go.


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## SarahMc (16 Apr 2008)

Of course you should let them paint it.  It is your house, but it is their home, be very very grateful you have tenants who view it this way.


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## landlord (16 Apr 2008)

I would consider aksing them if they want to go for a 2 year contract instead of 1 year. If they agree you shouldnt have any problems.


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## Crugers (16 Apr 2008)

If you give a tenant permission to 'improve' your premises the can acquire certain rights as in the right to Compensation for Improvements. I don't know if it would apply in the case of a lick of paint but...


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## Bubbly Scot (17 Apr 2008)

SarahMc said:


> It is your house, but it is their home.


 
And here was me thinking I was the only one to use that phrase, but it's so apt, I've called it into play many times over the years.

If a tenant is thinking of redecorating, I would *think* they were planning on staying for a year plus anyway. In the current rental market I really would be trying to keep a GOOD tenant. Maybe you could offer to spring for the paint if they do the work


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## Bronte (17 Apr 2008)

I would have no problem letting them paint it as long as when they left it was returned to Magnolia if they leave after 1 year, but if they stayed longer say 4 years then I would bear the costs of the repaint myself.  I generally have to repaint between tenancies.  I've also supplied the paint/brushes to any tenant who wants to paint themselves.  One of my tenants has a purple bedroom with a black ceiling but he's been there I think about 3 years and he doesn't have a bed as he prefers to sleep on the floor.  Anyone who has stayed two years and will paint for you is a tenant from heaven, a person who respects your property.


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## NHG (17 Apr 2008)

Be thankful that at least they had the manners to ask you first and not just go ahead an do it.


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## aircobra19 (17 Apr 2008)

I let them paint. You'll be painting it when they leave anyway. If they do it, you might have less rooms to paint.


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## DrMoriarty (17 Apr 2008)

Bronte said:


> One of my tenants has a purple bedroom with a black ceiling but he's been there I think about 3 years...


You mean he hasn't come out of the bedroom in all that time?


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## sam h (17 Apr 2008)

> If a tenant is thinking of redecorating, I would *think* they were planning on staying for a year plus anyway.


 
Not always, had a (great) tenant & she asked if she could put some wallpaper up in the bathroom....no problem, say's I. She had to move out early due to family problems, and that was the first time I saw the "brothel" style bathroom. No problem, say's I, just steam it off. Not so easy when it is superglued on & we ended up taking out chunks out of the wall!! Took a full day to get it all off!!  They also painted a bedroom (& managed to get loads on the ceiling, so walls & ceiling that had to be redone)

My general rule now is - no redecorating, but would probably reconsider for a long-term/good tenant! It's really a judgement call...but bare in mind you will probably need 3 coats of paint to cover Terracotta.


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## murphaph (18 Apr 2008)

In Germany most every property is sold/rented in pure brilliant white and the buyer/tenant paints it whatever colour they want for their time there before returning it white before leaving. Simple and effective system. Of course a lot of properties are left white throughout!


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## Shark Trager (18 Apr 2008)

Insist on a two year lease *and* paint it yourself,or get a painter to do it for you.Similar experience,asked to paint,I had no real problem with that,til they left,paint splashes every blasted place,light switches,bannisters,sockets,floors,was unsure if a brush was used to apply the paint,or if it was thrown on the wall,masking tape??whats that??another point a strong colour like red od dark blue etc,will take 3 coats of paint to be rid of it.


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## Marcecie (21 Apr 2008)

Shark Trager said:


> Insist on a two year lease *and* paint it yourself,or get a painter to do it for you.Similar experience,asked to paint,I had no real problem with that,til they left,paint splashes every blasted place,light switches,bannisters,sockets,floors,was unsure if a brush was used to apply the paint,or if it was thrown on the wall,masking tape??whats that??another point a strong colour like red od dark blue etc,will take 3 coats of paint to be rid of it.




I have had the same request from tenants and let them paint it themselves but they made a dreadful mess.
The pine doors/skirting was all messed.

After that experience if they are good tenants and staying longer than a year and want to paint it I just get a painter in for a day, I always let them put up pictures/shelves etc to make the place a home and have been rewarded with great tenants(some of them still with me after 5 years)


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## Superman (22 Apr 2008)

Agree with the above 2 posts - tenants don't own the property so even tenants who want something to look nice aren't so particular that they'll do a conscientious job of painting in my experience - so masking tape, no protection for floor or furniture etc - so splashes everywhere, painted light switches, lamp shades, paint not finished into corners, emulsion paint across doors, on window frames, on wardrobes, streaky paintwork etc. etc. etc.


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## S.L.F (22 Apr 2008)

I had 2 tenants who wanted to stay for another 6 months. They asked me could they paint the place. He told me he was a good painter, with extreme reluctance I gave them the go ahead. He painted the bathroom a dark corpse green colour. There were splashes on the floor, the ceiling was hit by the brush several times, light socket was painted over, fan was hit by big splashes and last of all the tiles were hit by the clumsy brush.
Just to add insult to injury they moved out 3 weeks later.
Never again!
Now if someone wants to paint they paint but it goes back to magnolia before they leave and it has to be done professionally, when I inform my tenants of this they don't bother to pursue it.
Works a treat!!!


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