Should I allow tenants to paint my rental property?
It takes a lot of effort to keep a rental home in good shape. So, painting the rental before your new tenants move in is one of the best ways to ensure that they are delighted with their space.
But what happens if a renter asks to repaint the property?
Some renters want to add color to their living space, while others are more interested in adding an accent wall. However, before answering "Sure, paint whatever you fancy", there are a few things landlords should consider.
When it comes to permitting a tenant to paint, every situation is unique and each tenants circumstances should impact your decision. Landlords must also weigh the merits and downsides for their own specific situation and try to avoid tenant complaints.
If your renter requests to paint the property, you have a few options:
Allowing them to Paint the Property
The simplest resolution is to simply approve the request.
However, that response does come with consequence and a common landlord mistake is to not anticipate this. If your tenant is not an experienced painter, then the results can be sloppy.
Regardless, it’s still a good idea to discuss the details with your tenant to make sure they understand what they are doing and the painting rules they should follow. Try to figure out what they're trying to accomplish and what color theme they're going for and work with them to figure out if you can assist them. This should provide you with peace of mind.
Allowing Them to Paint the Rental - with Conditions
If you don’t feel comfortable with the tenant painting the property themselves, but you want to grant them their request, you may want to do so with conditions:
Hire a Professional
If you're going to let your tenant paint or if you're going to do it yourself, you'll need to be sure you are up to the task. A bad paint job detracts from the appeal of your rental property, perhaps making it more difficult to find a new tenant.
Spots on furniture, floors, and woodwork are the last thing you want, which is why you should hire an expert. While painting the rental space yourself may appear to be a good idea, it may cost you more money and effort.
At Leenan Property Management, we can help you avoid excessive charges by hiring a professional or demanding a painting deposit from the renter if they prefer to paint it themselves. This way, you're covered if the paintwork isn't up to standard.
Use a Paint Policy
To prevent any hassles for both parties, we propose establishing the paint terms within the lease agreement. Some of the terms set include type, brand, primer brand, and color range.
It is critical to address painting requests from renters with attention to increasing tenancy by keeping them satisfied.
A paint policy is an important document that can save you hundreds of dollars. When it comes to policy formulation, a property management company can assist you in clarifying the parameters without jeopardizing the landlord-tenant relationship.
Not Allowing them to Paint the Property
You always have the option of rejecting your tenant's suggestion. But this is one of the circumstances where your landlord-tenant communication skills will need to be used. Afterall, you don’t want to alienate your tenants.
You could suggest that they put up good removable wallpaper or renter's wallpaper. This type of wallpaper should, in principle, be easy to remove and leave no residue.
But exercise caution, a renter's wallpaper may still leave unattractive stains after being removed from the walls.
What if your Tenant Paints Without Permission?
Your tenants may decide to paint the house without your permission. Your lease agreement should include explicit language prohibiting such behavior. If they break the lease by illegally painting, you can deduct the expense of repainting from their security deposit.
However, if the renter repaints the unit successfully, in the same color scheme before leaving the property, you may not be able to claim any deductions.
Bottom Line
As a property investor, you should make every effort to work with the best property management company available, especially when dealing with paint or you're a first time landlord.
At Leenan Property Management, we respect the long-term investment that rental properties represent and the responsibility that comes with providing customers with a safe place to live.
We specialize in attracting only the most qualified renters for your rental property. We take pleasure in taking a proactive and preventative approach to guarantee that your rental property and renters are protected from unneeded hassles and repairs.
As your preferred property management firm, get in touch with us via mail or visit our Leenan Property Management website to learn how we can relieve your stress and enhance your investment.
