Having your rental painted in light, neutral tones is the best way to keep the space universally appealing. However, after renting out your property to a deserving tenant, the tenant may request you to allow them to re-paint some walls in colors that they may personally enjoy more.
Many landlords are unsure of how to answer this question. Luckily for you, today’s blog will cover just that! The following is everything you need to know regarding allowing tenants to repaint their rented premises.
Should Landlords Allow Tenants to Paint Their Rented Premises?
The following are three responses you can offer the tenant when they request to repaint their rented premises.
Refuse Their Request
As a landlord, you reserve the right to either accept or reject a tenant’s request to repaint their rented premises. If you decide to deny their request, however, make sure to do it as friendly and professional as possible. At the very least, let the tenant know the reasoning behind the rejection.
You could even let the tenant install a wallpaper as an alternative solution, instead. These usually come in a variety of patterns and designs, and the tenant will most likely find something suitable.
If they agree to the alternative solution, make sure you insist that they go for quality options. In addition, require them to hire a professional wallpaper installer to ensure the installation doesn’t lead to damage. Examples of possible damage include moisture damage, wall damage, and wall discoloration.
Approve Their Request
Another response you can give the tenant is to allow their request to repaint their rented premises. Preferably, allow this for quality, long-term tenants that you intend to continue renting to.
With that in mind, make sure to provide the tenant with certain conditions to ensure you protect yourself from possible issues.
- Require your approval for things like chosen walls, color selection, and paint quality.
- Require the tenant to restore the original paint colors when they eventually move out.
- Require the tenant to pay for possible damages they may cause during the repainting process.
Why Should Landlords Allow Tenants to Paint their Rented Premises?
As a landlord, allowing tenants to repaint their rented premises may provide you with the following benefits.
Can Lead to Happy Tenants
Allowing a tenant to repaint the unit to their favorable colors can enable them to personalize their space. As already mentioned, landlords usually paint their rental units with neutral colors, which many tenants may find boring and uninspiring.
And so, by honoring their request, you may make the tenant happy, resulting in long-term tenancies. This can help you boost your ROI, as you’ll minimize the costs of tenant turnovers.
Can Help You Attract Tenants
If you are having a difficult time filling a vacancy, you could consider giving tenants the option to repaint the unit after moving in. This can help you attract a good prospective tenant pool, as people like living in personalized spaces.
Just make sure to protect yourself by ensuring you put certain contingencies in place. For example, by requiring the tenant to only use a certain color palette and having the installation done by a professional.
You May Be Able To Ask For More Rent
Ultimately, the goal of every landlord is to maximize their ROI. In areas with high rental demand, you may be able to ask for more rent in exchange for allowing a tenant to repaint their walls.
Only a handful of landlords allow tenants to customize their rented premises. By giving tenants the option, you may be able to stand out from the competition. This can also allow you to raise the rent amount due to increased demand from a large prospective tenant pool.
Why Should Landlords Not Allow Tenants to Repaint their Rented Premises?
The following are the reasons why you may not want to allow tenants to repaint their rented premises.
The Tenant May Do A Bad Job
Without putting in place some rules, you risk the tenant doing a substandard job that can cost a lot to fix. While you may be able to withhold the security deposit, sometimes it may not be enough to cover all the repair costs to the unit.
You May Lose Money In The Process
If the tenant decides not to restore the unit to its original state, you may end up losing quite a significant amount of money. In addition to incurring the restoration costs, you may also suffer from a prolonged vacancy period due to repairs.
And every day the unit will be vacant, that will be money down the drain for you. That’s why it’s important to ensure the tenant follows certain rules if you permit them to make certain property alterations.
There Is A Risk Of Damage Beyond Normal Wear And Tear
If you don’t require the tenant to go for quality paint and expert services, there can be a risk of property damage. Including, but not limited to, wall damage, moisture damage, and wall discoloration.
Conclusion
So, should you allow tenants to paint your rental property? The answer is never straightforward. Weigh both the pros and cons to know whether or not it may be worthwhile to your bottom line.
For expert advice or full-service property management services, look no further than Vineyard Property Management. Our residential property management services can help you overcome any challenges you may be experiencing. Get in touch with us today!
