Any landlords around?

[NCIS]

Is it reasonable to ask the landlord for a contribution to decorating?
Bit of background- we have rented our house for four years. When we moved in it wasn't newly decorated, had been painted by original owner very badly, think cheapest paint, one coat put on with a brush.
We've decorated two rooms ourselves as they were so badly done and now we want to get the hall, staircase and kitchen done. Paint on the kitchen ceiling is flaking off presumably because ordinary paint was used.
We've asked if they would be prepared to stump up half the cost and they have said no.
I think we are good tenants and never bother them unless it's something that belongs to them that has broken, loo flush etc.
Any landlord views would be great.
(The landlords are a building company if that makes a difference)

as a landlord, I feel it is my job to pay for the decorative status of the house,
I have 2 houses, they get painted throughout every 3rd year (unless there is a specific issue that means it needs doing earlier)
I think you need to have a look at your contract. I am contractually obliged to deal with the maintenance of the house.

Would add, that if for some reason the tennant wanted fancy shmantzy wall paper etc, it would be at their cost.

I rent out a flat which I assume all responsibility for regarding decor. If the tenant wanted to decorate to change the colour to suit his 'style' then he'd have to pay. We whitewash it every time the tenants change which I feel is sufficient as it always looks clean and tidy and all appliances are less than 5 years old.

We in turn, rent a house and when we wanted to upgrade the garden, we discussed it with our landlord and he agreed to pay for the stones etc, but we did all the work. He also recently replaced the windows when I pointed out they were rotten and unsafe (we have a 2.5 DS)

If it's flaking off then I'd take issue with the landlord? How often do you renew your lease? do they do routine inspections?

I agree with never. We had ours redecorated and done up and have had 3 sets of tenants in there so far. If something needs doing we are on it as fast as possible so the place does not deteriorate, it is in our interests to keep the place in good shape as well.
If our tenants told us that it needed a new lick of paint, we would probably oblige and either give them money towards it or do it ourselves.
Four years after it having been done badly is a long time. If they were to show new tenants around they would probably paint it over anyway to help it sell. I think landlors often forget that just because they don't have new tenants in there doesn't mean the same tenants should live in the place for years on end without any maintenance.

On the other side, we are also tenants at the moment and luckily have a very nice landlord, We have two very young kids who like to leave dirty fingermarks on the wall sometimes. We said that we would paint the places where this was evident before we leave.

Thought we weren't being too unreasonable and are happy to pay for half the cost and always use neutral colours. They say that they don't want to spend any money as they plan on knocking it down and building flats at some point in the future but need the old lady next door to move out as they have first refusal on buying her property.
She shows no signs of wanting to move out and they do not have planning permission, according to planning officer they would be unlikely to get it as the area is over-saturated with flats which aren't selling.
We have just signed for another years contract.

So you are paying full rent and it's fine for you to live in that state because they are going to knock it down sometime!! That's not on. If they want you to live with it in bad condition they should knock down the rent.
I would say that you might start looking for other places which are in better decorative order if they are not going to keep it well maintained just because of their 'future plans'

Hm builder types! Just because bing a LL is a stop gap to your future plans does not mean you can do a half arsed job of it! Thats why we get such a bad press, when there are plenty of us doing it well.

I can't off the top of my head remember what is in the contract about maintainence, but it is something along the line of the LL has a responsibility to maintain the property to a good standard and this includes decor. If the paint is shabby it needs to be updated.

Check out the agreement and aproach them again.

I decorate between each tenant, and should the house need it mid tenancy I would redecorate at my cost, but I would use my trades people and the magnolia/white colour scheme. If they wanted anything other than that they would have to pay - e.g wallpaper but after an interesting week spent trying to paint out a navy ceiling I won't be letting tenants go wild with their own colours again .

I've just moved out of a property having been there for 9 years. When I handed the keys over they went around, trying to see what they could get away with not doing for the new tenants, which included not painting, not replacing carpets, not replacing the broken kitchen window (which was broken when I moved in ). I really feel for the new tenants, as they will have done nothing. It wasn't decorated when I moved in, and didn't have new carpets as there were cigarette burns on the one in the lounge. Some people are just after cash, and don't give a monkeys about repairing the properties. My new landlord/lady are lovely though, I can tell that they really love this house.

Thanks for all your answers. Don't really want to move for about two years if possible as it's very close to station for DS getting to school so want to wait until he finishes sixth form.
I will check the contract. The problem is, we don't want to upset them so they give us notice next year but letting them get away with no maintenance seems wrong too.
Would be happy for them to use their own people and magnolia. The rooms we've done ourselves have been done in a very light creamy/coffee colour so very inoffensive and better than the institutional green that was there before.

It should be them doing it - but if you don't want to rock the boat too much (not that you should be made to feel that way), perhaps ask them if you can decorate and they could provide the paint.

A few tins of emulsion is not a lot of money, and they can't complain about the colours you choose.

I rent out my flat. I think it partly depends on what you pay in rent. If you are paying a dirt cheap price for a scruffy house, then I could see why they would be stingier. I do think that some landlords (and tenants) make the calculation of 'studenty' prices for 'studenty' condition.

If they did do it up, you might want to consider whether they might raise the rent next year to make it a market price for a smart property.

If not, and you are paying what seems to you like the sort of money that should get you a smarter place, that's different.

As Oreocrumbs says, at least get them to buy you some paint!

We pay 1200 per month for three bedrooms on Hampshire/Surrey Borders so not what I would call student price. Might have to look at moving if they don't play ball.

It shouldn't matter whether people are paying 'student prices' or not. It's in a landlord's best interest to repair a property, and no tenant should be expected to live in a property which is damp/broken etc. This is 2012, we should have moved on from dodgy landlords by now.

If my tenants ask to redecorate because the place is looking shabby I will pay the cost / arrange for it to be done.

If the tenants want to redecorate because they want different colours they pay the cost.

I can see your landlord's point of view, if they are planning to knock it down then there is no incentive to keep it nice while they have tenants in. It's rubbish for you though.

I would try again and mention that you (a) are planning to be there for a long time but (b) you would reconsider if they don't meet you half way. They might think that the cost is worth it to keep good tenants.

at the navy ceiling oreo !