You’ve found an amazing place to rent in your favourite part of Cheltenham and everything’s perfect – the location, the size, the views – but the decor is a bit dull. Do you just put up with it or do you see if you can make a few tweaks here and there?
If you do want to redecorate your rental, here’s some tips for asking your landlord.
Explain in writing and (hopefully) get permission in writing
Even if you’ve already discussed your ideas verbally with your landlord, everything is best in writing. Explain exactly what you’re planning to do – which rooms and walls you want to repaint and in which colours and ask your landlord to confirm their agreement in writing. They might stipulate certain shades or only agree to two out of three rooms, for example, so both parties need to be 100% certain what’s going to happen.
Make sure you both know who’s paying for what
If you’re planning to get curtains or blinds for a window that’s a certain size, for example, you might not be able to take it to your next place. Your landlord might, in these circumstances, decide to pay for these so that they can keep them for the next tenants
It’s especially important to agree on style and colour here, so that there’s no quibbling over the costs when you come to leave – again, make sure everything’s on paper.
Ask about making changes during your viewing
Being upfront about changes you’d like to make is a good way for you and your potential landlord to filter each other out (or, of course, in). If your landlord likes the sound of your plans then they’ll be more likely to offer you the property. On the other hand, if they don’t, then you can both keep looking for your perfect fits.
Make sure you know if the redecoration is permanent
Many landlords paint and redecorate between tenancies, so repainting over some not-too-vibrant shades won’t be a big deal. However, if they’re not expecting to redecorate after you, you’ll probably have to agree to restoring the property to its original scheme – at your own expense.
Most landlords want their rental properties to be “good to go” at all times, just in case tenants leave suddenly; so if you’re going to change the decor, they’ll want you to repaint before you leave or choose fairly neutral shades. The choice of shades is important, as you might be helping your landlord out by refreshing the place in your own time or you might have a colour scheme which means a strict requirement to restore the original colour.
