To want a nice house although its only rented

[mummybegood]

My partner says don't bother adding value to the house its not ours , I know that although it a part of me that wants to make it homely he says you can paint it but nothing else.
We are staying here for two years and then we will be able hopefully to buy our own aibu.

I would talk to your landlord. They maybe prepared to make a contribution. The worst they can say is "no".

Depends what you want to do. The problem is that different tenants have different tastes. What you might consider adding value another person might hate. For example we had a tenant who painted an entire flat lemon tropic. We didn't care as they had paid rent for two years, but it certainly did not add value to the property.

YANBU

Even if it is only 2 years it will be a lot nicer if you can make it as much your own as possible. We are forced into renting too (bloody house prices!) and wish we could do something to improve our tired old rental!

Of course you're not being unreasonable, but as RT said, you need to ask your land lord first. Our tenancy agreement is hyper strict on those things. We're not even allowed to hang pictures.

"We're not even allowed to hang pictures"

That is completely unreasonable and probably unenforable.

A sensible landlord wants their tenant to feel at home. We have a very good tenant and we allow her £300 a year to spend on home improvements of her choice unless there has been a really major expense like a new boiler.

We aren't being generous, we are being financially astute. Spending £300 to keep a good tenant for another year is cheaper than finding a new tenant.

Re. not being allowed to hang pictures - that's quite a common term in agreements. I've even had places that won't let you use bluetack/whitetack (because it leaves marks on the walls). Not being allowed to paint is common too (which really annoyed me when I offered to repaint badly scuffed white walls in the same colour, and was told I couldn't in case I messed it up).

I agree with OP about wanting to make it homey if possible though. It's horrible living somewhere you can't feel comfortable in.

I'm not allowed to hang pictures, or put curtain poles up! ( I've got blinds)
It feels really unhomely!

YA definately NBU to want to feel at home.

I am shocked by the unreasonableness of landlords refusing to let a tenant make a rented property their home.

We are quite generous to our tenant and she is paying more than the average market rate for our flat. She has been there nearly three years. If a landlord spends relatively little they get back a lot more.

YANBU - I have lived in this house for nearly 2 years. It is awful - hasnt been decorated since before the war, the bathroom is older than me, leaky roof on the extension, no gravel on the driveway so any time you come in the door the house ends up filthy (we live on the edge of a field hence why the dirt is so bad).

We were promised everything would be sorted out for us moving in but surprise, surprise, 2 years later nothing has been done.

We have painted and replaced the ripped lino in the kitchen but its still not great tbh.

We are moving in April and I just cant wait to get out of here.

Although 2 years doesnt sound long, it is when you literally hate coming home

Ironically, we are landlords too and have always bent over backwards to keep our tenants happy. Our current experience as tenants has been shocking: on going damp in a bedroom, so bad that it can't be used; quibbling over changing the range cooker which an engineer had branded as dangerous and unuseable, not it worked. I cannot wait to have our own home again.

My sis rented her mil's house a few years ago. When they tidied out the loft extension (MIL sulked as she had nowhere to put her own stuff) they noticed the walls were really scuffed. Sis used the exact same colour paint to brighten it up and MIL sobbed 'you're changing everything'
As a landlord she was a nightmare, if something was broken she would try and bodge fix it. She didn't want them to get contents insurance
Personally I think she was a bit of a loon.
They ahve now moved into another private rent and they hate the decor but are just living with it whilst they save to get somewhere better. Their new landlord is ok about decorating you just have to ask her first.

We're not meant to hang pictures,I went into the agent (in my finest garb with my best voice...don't know why!?) to query it and was told I could use picture hooks...so I do...a lot!
Actually, I do know why I wore my best garb, same reason that, after 4 emails and 5 phone calls to the "estates and repairs secretary", I emailed the senior partner of the letting agents. Next morning, response! lickety spit! My mother taught me well. Cringe!!! I'm getting old!

by all means do what you can to make it your own, even if it involves a bit of money (if you can afford it). we've been renting forever and it makes such a huge difference. I wouldn't live somewhere if the landlord wouldn't allow a few picture hooks on the walls, that is cruel. I'd rather fill in and paint holes, or pay for damages, then live in a totally sterile environment.