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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Those of you who rent, do you nest or not bother?

116 replies

KnittedBreast · 09/02/2011 14:58

I privatly rent my house and this is the first one I am determined to settle in. This means I need to stop looking at similar budgets in cheaper parts of the UK and depressing myself. I am currently doing up my house, today i went looking at oak to make shelves (didnt realise how expensive oak was, looks like wel only be getting 2 shelves this month!)

to those of you who rent, do you bother to make your home your own knowing it isnt yours and yo could be asked to move, all that wasted time and money etc...

I never used to but having realised unless someone dies il never buy ive decided to do it, fuck the deposit (like il ever see it again anyway). ive painted walls and put up coat things and am planning on shelves and outisde ornaments. Its my little bit of paradise even if i wouldnt chose to live in this house if i had the choice to move

OP posts:
MrsChemist · 09/02/2011 15:55

We put down carpet and painted and drilled holes and really made it our home. We had an arrangement with our landlord that we got a few months free because the work really needed doing. He's a family friend and the house had been empty for years before we moved in. He's happy that the house is being lived in and enjoyed and we have security because he is less likely than a stranger to kick us out.

carriedababi · 09/02/2011 15:59

i don't think you should be painting walls and putting up shelves in someone elses house, unless you have permission of course.

mousymouse · 09/02/2011 16:05

we put up new curtains and soft furnishings of our taste and painted the walls in the small bedroom.
we are lucky that the landlord lived in the flat himsself before we moved in, so the place was in quite good condition. and also the furniture is pretty nice.
it absolutely our home even though it is someone elses property.

spikeycow · 09/02/2011 16:14

Nope. Painted a flat once and the homeowner (he's not a lord of anything) sold up after that. What a fucking waste of money. I hate renting, especially with all the no pets no smokers no children professionals only shit. I'm paying for someone to boss me around and it makes me sick. Even though my current homeowner is OK that I have pets most aren't and if she pulls the rug out from under me I'm fucked. I don't have savings for another deposit so will have to withhold the last months rent to get a new property and let them keep the deposit. Yesterday I had to hand over nearly 2k to cover half the rent from last month and this months rent because I got into shitty arrears. If my gas runs out before Friday I'm screwed because the rent is TOO MUCH MONEY FOR A SINGLE PERSON
What was the thread about again Grin

expatinscotland · 09/02/2011 16:15

You all must be minted.

I've found the cost of paint and flooring here very expensive, far beyond what we'd have to spend on a place we're renting.

SummerRain · 09/02/2011 16:19

expat... we do a bit here and there but can never afford to do a whole room at once.

Paint is very expensive here too so we still have (stained) magnoia on plenty of walls but the rooms we've gotten around to are much more homely and attractive.

As we don't break ourselves to do it and it's all for personal enjoyment it doesn't bother me if we move and have to leave it behind... it was done for us to feel more comfortable in our home, no other reason.

HumanBehaviour · 09/02/2011 16:40

No, because we hate this house and want to move but can't until tenancy is up for renewal in July.

We can't even put wardrobes/bookcases against the walls because it is so damp we get mould behind them straight away!

And we've got slugs indoors. But neither the landlord nor the letting agent cares about this.

When we move I will make sure to ask whether the property suffers from slugs indoors and then hopefully we can settle and make the house a home.

DizzyKipper · 09/02/2011 16:59

I wouldn't make alterations to the house without written permission, I think it's important to respect the fact that it is not your home, and that putting holes in the wall etc. maybe something the actual owner of the property might not like (to reverse it, I wouldn't like some one putting a load of holes in my wall without at least asking first).
I always make sure to obtain written permission about any agreed alterations to protect myself from them then claiming I did it without their consent when it's time to be reimbursed the deposit.

That said I think there's nothing wrong with trying to make a rented house a home - the environment you're in day after day effects you, you will feel better for being in somewhere that feels like "home".

The last house I rented was literally magnolia in every single room - magnolia is therefore a colour I will probably never decorate in!

spikeycow · 09/02/2011 17:04

I'm looking into rent to buy at the mo. You pay 4K upfront, stay renting for 5 years with the option to buy at the end of it. Then I'd consider doing things to the place, and it would feel more mine. Useless ex is starting a buisness, and is promising the earth, so maybe, hopefully.
My homeowner is cool with most things but I can't believe some of you can't even put pictures up! I think that's a massive pisstake TBH.

lololizzy · 09/02/2011 17:24

We have just moved but want to apply for transfer in year or two because of it being tiny/neighbour from hell etc. There is no flooring or carpeting, which is horrible as there are paintsplattered chipboards. We cannot afford carpeting and decided even if we could, there's no point unless we were here long term. So we've just got some cheap Wilcos rugs down. Not great but will do for now. We are putting up shelves though (much needed in a small space..as at least do have v high ceilings!) but only cheap wood from wood yards or if people or chucking out any.
I do make it look homely though, with pictures,ornaments, new curtains etc.

lololizzy · 09/02/2011 17:25

Luckily we are allowed to do what we want..drill, paint etc.

lololizzy · 09/02/2011 17:26

We've been getting quite a few bits from freecycle. We don't want to buy anything new that WON'T be moving with us next time

sherby · 09/02/2011 17:27

private rental

DH fitted a new bathroom (plumber)
painted the kids rooms
put new carpet down

I agree with the poster who said that our children are spending a portion of their childhoods here so I don't see it as wasting money

Grumpyoldhorsewoman · 09/02/2011 17:35

We've always rented and had some shocking houses (the last one was bordering on the uninhabitable when we moved in) and five gorgeous houses (including current stunning home) - we have moved alot!. Wherever we've lived I have made it 'ours'. DH often complains about spending money on a house that we could move out of in six months, but I've always argued that so long as we are living there I want it to feel like home. I've never done any serious work on a property (apart from putting a kitchen in one of our houses - cheap and small) but a lick of paint, curtains, lamps and pictures can be all that's required. One unfortunate side-effect though is a big box of curtains and blinds that don't fit the current home! It's then that you realise how much you've spent on something that might not be any good to you in no time. Good job I enjoy planning interiors.

QueenBathsheba · 09/02/2011 17:37

When we rented privately I did, not a thing. I would resent paying rent and then adding value to someone elses property. Nothing would compell me to give money away, unless it was charity.

carriedababi · 09/02/2011 17:40

arenot not worried that if you put in a new bathroom or kitchen or even paint the place really nicely the ll will up the rent to turf you out, then get someone in paying more?

spikeycow · 09/02/2011 17:42

Especially when you can't do this can't do that. Apparently you need permission for caged pets aswell! It's just mindless and completely unfair

Jux · 09/02/2011 17:50

I spent most of my adult life in rented, and once I stopped 'flat-mating' and started living on my own I definitely nested. I expected be in my flat forever tbh, but that one was owned by a housing association who pulled down the block and rebuilt it. My landlady was moved to another block down the road and I was there for over 10 years. In fact, the only reason I moved was because I couldn't afford to stay there when I started at University. Otherwise I'd probably be there still. You bet I nested.

ambarth · 09/02/2011 17:54

THe landlord has my place painted entirely in magnolia. I repainted it the same as needed it and he was going to do eff all about it. It's dull but I wasn't going to risk my deposit. I've brightened up the kids room with removable Mr Men stickers and bright curtains and rugs. I've seen adult wallpaper patterened removable stickers for my front room. Mainly making the place my own with stuff I can take with me like cushions, curtains and rugs.

zukiecat · 09/02/2011 17:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Laquitar · 09/02/2011 18:09

Blimey! You all sound so nice. Your landlords should bloody kiss your feet. I can't believe you do flooring and kitchen and bathroom.

When i was renting i was just putting curtains, rugs etc for the personal touch but i was resenting making someone's house on top of paying rent [nasty bitch]

Jellykat · 09/02/2011 18:13

I always nested when i rented,if the place needed painting which it usually did,i used to manage to do a deal with the landlord - They paid for the paint, i did the work.

I usually put up things like shelving, mounted coat hooks etc.. When i moved again (usually about 3 years later) took them down for the next house, and made good with polyfilla and a bit of saved over paint.

I never lost a deposit in 25 years because of my polyfilled holes.. (Grin) (Dirty mind Wednesday)

expatinscotland · 09/02/2011 18:33

'When i was renting i was just putting curtains, rugs etc for the personal touch but i was resenting making someone's house on top of paying rent [nasty bitch]'

Same here. Over there paying their mortgage and lining their pockets and they can turf me out with 2 months notice costing me over a thousand pounds every time.

Like fuck I'm gonna buy them a new carpet (I've never found one I'd consider cheap) and fit them a new kitchen or bathroom.

I could never feel like a place I was always 2 months away from being turfed out of is a home.

As for my kids spending time there, meh. All the more reason to show them this place is all about complete inequality with regards to property and to get out as soon as possible.

spikeycow · 09/02/2011 18:38

Absolutely

carriedababi · 09/02/2011 18:42

how much notice do ll have to give?if they want you to leave? is it 6 months?