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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not put the house back to what it was?

728 replies

QuantumDog2 · 13/09/2021 21:55

I've rented the house I live in currently for nearly 9 years. When I moved in it was a new build and we were the first to live here, so obviously a buy to let. The walls were all trade paint magnolia and the carpets were cheap, exactly the way new builds are presented as standard.
Over the years I've decorated it and made some improvements like extending the patio and I spend £1400 on new flooring for the lounge because the carpet was worn out by that stage and looked grotty.
Now I'm leaving as I've bought somewhere with my partner, but contractually apparently I have to return the property the way I found it. I'm 6 months pregnant now and don't fancy donning my overalls and climbing ladders to paint. What would you do? I feel like after 9 years here and the time and money I've spent on the place (although my choice totally) I shouldn't really be penalised, but I expect I will lose my deposit?

OP posts:
Aliceclara · 14/09/2021 07:57

Tell them you'll leave the patio you paid for if they'll accept the current decor. Otherwise you'll dismantle it.

Iamthewombat · 14/09/2021 08:01

@Aliceclara

Tell them you'll leave the patio you paid for if they'll accept the current decor. Otherwise you'll dismantle it.
And re-turf beneath it? Yeah, that will work. So much easier than repainting a wall, right?
Calmdown14 · 14/09/2021 08:03

I'd take pictures of it looking good and email your landlord/agent to explain you have improved it. Here is how.
Would they like you to take out your flooring which cost x or can they confirm they are happy for you to leave it.
Point out you have been there a decade and prevented the wear and tear normally expected.
My mum let her house to a single tenant and they stayed long term like you. She wasn't bothered as they were good tenants who looked after the place so a lot will depend on your landlord.
I would set it out as enhancements you'll be taking to your new home (even if the floor isn't actually useful) so they feel they are getting something!

Lotusmonster · 14/09/2021 08:06

Your colours are lovely but I think you need to return the actual coloured ones to a cream / neutral unfortunately.

Svalberg · 14/09/2021 08:10

OP if the Rightmove listing highlights the improvements that you've made, download it so that you can upload it as evidence in any TDS dispute. Also, any evidence of the costs that you've incurred maintaining the property, and the fact that the LL has done nothing should be uploaded. You will (should) have a check-in and a check-out inventory, after 9 years most items will come under fair wear and tear. I recently had tenants leave after 3 years and the vast, vast majority of the damage that they'd caused to the house was "fair wear and tear", all I could claim for were the items that they'd stolen.

willithappen · 14/09/2021 08:18

The deposit scheme is only going to look into claims that are in dispute. They won't care about other improvements you made that have no relevance to the painting (if that's the only thing in dispute)
Ultimately your landlord told you at the very beginning it would need to be put back to what it was at the start and seems like the EA gave enough notice to remind you of this agreement also. You can't claim the landlord did no painting in 9 years that you were there because you have done it yourself - what do people expect the landlord to come in and paint over what you have done every couple of years while you are still there and happy?

HarlanPepper · 14/09/2021 08:23

Totally not the point but I think that photo of the Denim Drift in your hallway looks lovely!

gofg · 14/09/2021 08:23

Totally missing the point, but if I had a choice of flats to rent the ones with the magnolia walls would be way down the list! BORING.

Honestly OP I think your landlord is a dick. He is getting the benefit of the new flooring and the patio but expects you to repaint the walls back!!! Also doing nothing himself to the flat in the nine years you have been there is not on. I have been in my flat twice as long, every room has been painted (not magnolia), new carpet and vinyl put in and the bathroom is being renovated at this very moment.

knightsinwhitesatin · 14/09/2021 08:24

Renters are treated terribly in this country. How is it fair that they can’t make their abode a ‘home’ even when living there for 9 years. With all the money the landlord has made over that time they can easily pay to cover it, as they should be doing anyway for new tenants. Especially given that OP seems like a great tenant and has obviously looked after their property, and even made improvements that they are happy to take the benefit of.
And no I am not against landlords, there is a need to provide properties for rental, but so many are cold hearted. People who rent have a right to live somewhere nice with personal touches.

Immaculatemisconception · 14/09/2021 08:27

She is now refusing to. She will lose her deposit and possibly be charged as well for how much it would cost for them to return it to how it was.

I wouldn’t be quite so sure about that. Landlords are seen as the rich, money grabbing guys and tenants are see as poor and struggling.

BeenAroundTheWorldAndIII · 14/09/2021 08:28

If viewings have already taken place surely the new tenant would be expecting to move in as it is now? I think I'd be annoyed if I looked and liked the decor and then by the time I got there is was all magnolia and I'd want it painted... pronto! Personally I'd choose Egyptian cotton and demin drift any day over magnolia!!
Could the landlord/estate agents not ask the new tenants if the decor should be left as is before wasting time/money on painting that may not need doing anyway!?
I'm lucky enough to own my own home but surely landlords aren't expecting people to live somewhere for 9 years and either do no repainting or only refresh the paintwork with magnolia 🤢

Droite · 14/09/2021 08:30

Is it worth checking what a local handyman would charge for repainting? If it's less than the cost of the deposit it would be worth your while.

Immaculatemisconception · 14/09/2021 08:36

Landlords will ask you to pay a deposit and they have a good reason for asking for this. A deposit is like insurance against something going wrong in the property. However, it's important to remember that this money is your money and the landlord should only keep it if you have caused damage in the property, you owe rent to the landlord or you have failed to keep to the tenancy agreement and this means that the landlord has lost money.

BlackKittyKat · 14/09/2021 08:42

I would screen grab that as further evidence of you do appeal them retaining your deposit.

BlackKittyKat · 14/09/2021 08:44

@BlackKittyKat

I would screen grab that as further evidence of you do appeal them retaining your deposit.
Sorry - quote fault here. Screengrab the Rightmove details where they list your improvements as benefits.
Iggly · 14/09/2021 08:46

@knightsinwhitesatin

Renters are treated terribly in this country. How is it fair that they can’t make their abode a ‘home’ even when living there for 9 years. With all the money the landlord has made over that time they can easily pay to cover it, as they should be doing anyway for new tenants. Especially given that OP seems like a great tenant and has obviously looked after their property, and even made improvements that they are happy to take the benefit of. And no I am not against landlords, there is a need to provide properties for rental, but so many are cold hearted. People who rent have a right to live somewhere nice with personal touches.
^this

Renting a property is a financial transaction where tenants pay in exchange for a home over a period of time.

For some insane reason, people think landlords are doing tenants a favour 🤨

Ninkanink · 14/09/2021 08:49

Tbh I’m a more than a bit puzzled as to why your partner can’t/won’t paint given that you’re pregnant and suffering with SPD...

If I were your landlord I’d be happy to see that beautiful colour on the walls, mind. If they haven’t actually seen it in person it might just work itself out once they have - I think a lot of landlords/agents have the ‘return to magnolia’ policy because so many people are really, really bad at DIY/decorating and choose truly awful colours and/or do a piss poor job of things so they’d rather at least have a blank canvas to go over it easily.

I redecorated a whole house that I rented (lived in it for 14 years with my children) and it was vastly improved by the time I moved out. I did the landlord a huge favour really and the house sold very quickly when they put it on the market. But then my DH is a fantastic handy man so the work was done to a very high standard.

Joystir59 · 14/09/2021 08:54

Pay someone to come and paint it magnolia as you will lose your deposit if it isn't repainted.

Bakingdiva · 14/09/2021 08:54

@QuantumDog2 I can't comment on the deposit / repainting but can I just say thank you - I've just found the new colour for my bathroom!

Sparklingbrook · 14/09/2021 08:56

@Joystir59

Pay someone to come and paint it magnolia as you will lose your deposit if it isn't repainted.
This. You knew the deal before you started, it needs to go back to how it was, pregnancy or not. This isn't a surprise they've just sprung on you either.
DeepaBeesKit · 14/09/2021 08:58

The thing is OP. Your denim drift looks quite trendy. But its not to everyone's taste (I personally can't stand dark coloured paints). Lighter paint colours are considered neutral as they photograph well, few people really hate light/cream walls. They make rooms look larger and brighter, aren't such a current fad so won't look dated in 5 years time, and are easy to paint over.

So it's not about how trendy or cool the house looks for you as the current tenant, it's more about how easy it is for the landlord, who's house it is, to maintain & re-let between tenants.

Exhausted5487 · 14/09/2021 08:58

I live in rentals, yabu to not paint the walls back to neutral and they'd be completely within their rights to charge you for the redecoration.

You might think it's lovely but that doesn't mean others will and it will probably be harder for them to rent out. However you could always send photos of the rooms to see if there are any that they don't mind you leaving.

Mummyoflittledragon · 14/09/2021 08:58

It’s a bit of a tricky situation. If you repaint, this is betterment so I totally understand why you don’t want to repaint. Landlords are supposed to repaint every 5/6 years. Therefore there is an argument that after this time, the paint is considered useless and the full cost of repainting should go to the ll and 2 coats would be required to get an even cover. However, as denim drift will need more than 2 coats to cover, the ll would potentially have a case against you.

Bottom line, I imagine you can be charged. But not the full cost. I am a ll btw and unless your ll has a contractor to perform the work, they will use someone recommended by the letting agent. Their contractors always cost far far more.

Do you have any photos or comments about scuffs on the walls from previous property inspections. Or a correspondence trail that the walls looked awful due to having not been painted much prior to you moving in as it was a new build? I would find anything you can to strengthen your case.

As an aside, the last coat of paint on the walls wouldn’t have been watered down as the paint would look awful if it just had the mist coat. A mist coat is about 70% water so it will probably just have had 2 coats after that. New plaster absorbs a lot of paint and it marks easily with just 2 coats.

DeepaBeesKit · 14/09/2021 09:02

Renters are treated terribly in this country. How is it fair that they can’t make their abode a ‘home’ even when living there for 9 years. With all the money the landlord has made over that time they can easily pay to cover it

Yeah, because the landlord is a charity and can just give their income away Hmm

You can make a house a home, you just return it to the state it was in on leaving because you don't own it.

TheWeatherWitch · 14/09/2021 09:07

Paint it beige, get cheap beige carpet laid. Rip up the expensive flooring and patio. Job done.

If your pregnancy prevents you holding a paintbrush, get your husband/partner to paint.