Renting rules

[Lou573]

Hi all, we’re considering hopping off the property ladder and renting while we find and renovate an ideal property. Probably for a year to 18 months. Can anyone answer a silly question I have about putting holes in walls? Obviously with a toddler we have to fasten TVs/drawers etc to walls- is this usually permitted/expected? I assume we’d have to fill holes after we leave, but it might be difficult to match a paint colour - would we end up having to repaint most a house after a year?! Also, does anyone have experience renting with cats?

I think it depends on your exact lease. I've had people say no holes in walls at all, but if I had a toddler I would rightly point out it is a safety issue and would do it anyway. Most rentals are likely to be white or magnolia in my experience so colour matching might not be an issue.

I have successfully raised 3 active boys without ever having to fasten furniture to any wall. Be prepared to have to pay for professional standard decorating if you do this.

When I rented I used to fill nail homes with polyfilla and then carefully blend a tiny bit of magnolia colour tester over the top, probably not an exact match but very close. You can use the tip of your finger to do it and it really blends in!

@ReservoirDogs I have also never had to fix furniture to the wall, but it is the sensible thing to do, especially if they are not in your sight at all times.

ReservoirDogs, it would depend on what furniture you have but I think our tv would have hit the floor several times over by now if not securely attached to the wall. Thanks all. Anyone rent with cats?!

I'd be very surprised if a landlord permitted this. Most will go for hanging up a few frames, but fastening furniture to the wall requires much sturdier brackets. As for its being a safety issue, having rented for years before, most would shrug and tell you to find another place to live then. In fact, plenty of properties to rent are 'no kids'. You'd probably have more success renting with cats than kids. As a LL, I'd be more willing to take a cat than a toddler.

I'd seriously visit some estate agents before even considering this. Renting in the UK can be very expensive and you can usually be given notice after a number of months, even if you have a year-long lease. Most tenancy agreements will give the LL a two month get out clause.

I'm a ll and we are pretty flexible when it comes to animals. We prefer cats or small dogs. We only ask to make sure if something is damaged to fix it before the end of the tenancy. I do get a bit worried about the place smelling doggy but we can live with it. It just depends on individual LL.
We don't mind children at all as we see people as more stable and long term.
Making holes in walls it's an easy fix but you do have to repair and paint after.
We are ll in the Brum.

PS: We cannot give notice until 2 months before the end of the agreed tenancy.

I’m not going to exchange on our property until and unless we have somewhere suitable to move in to, so of course I will be speaking to estate agents beforehand, I was just considering the practicalities and wondered how people have dealt with it. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable expectation, young children have been killed by furniture falling on them. Similarly I would need to secure any blind cords etc. Obviously it requires heavier brackets than a picture frame but it’s just a couple of screws in the wall and fixable. My mother is a landlord but has been put off allowing cats after a flea infestation, but it sounds like it’s down to individual landlords.

Blind cords will need to be done by your landlord.

They may allow it but as others have said be prepared to have to get the holes filled and painted to a professional standard

As long as you leave it as you found it. When I was renting I had a few things fastened to the wall. I wasn't risking my child's life.

I've rented with cats. I think you just need to ask at the outset if they're allowed. Some agents are straight up no. So that's fine you just don't rent with them! My cats just damage my furniture mainly not my actual house do they have never really cost me anything re deposit.

We are doing a similar thing OP but moving into rented due to several broken chains and seriously having outgrown our house, we are going to buy and sell while renting.

We have three cats. It's down to the individual landlord so I just always ask before spending time viewing a property. You'll probably need to pay a higher deposit as well due to the animals.

Our agreement says only small nails in walls for the odd picture but I would just go ahead with it and make good after I leave. The worse that will happen is you lose some of your deposit to put it right.

They probably won't actually.
One of the reasons we have bought while I am pregnant is so we can ensure our home is suutably safe which we can't do in our rented home.

Oops commented on wrong thread - reported!

I think the answer is just to go ahead and do it. It’s not worth the risk not to and it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission! Glad to hear some landlords do allow cats. All mine have ever done in 8 years is scratch one particular corner of the sofa, so I don’t expect they’d cause damage, although I can’t say the same for the toddler! I would be fully prepared to pay for any damage, I do intend to be a good tenant!

I rent with cats. We’ve always had to pay a slightly higher deposit to allow for damage done by them (like carpet scratching) but most landlords don’t mind them. We did miss out on one property that wouldn’t allow cats but you should be able to find somewhere.

My landlord let us put in a fire guard as we have a fireplace with lots of marble. When I explained it was a safety issue he said as long as the walls were bsck to same state as when we moved in then that was fine. We haven't needed to fasten our tv but I'm sure if we needed to be would have agreed. You need to live there at the end of the day- while you rent it is your home.

Hi OP, we also rent and have a toddler and a baby on the way. Just moved into a new place last week and will be securing some furniture to the walls. Every ll is different, it seems unfurnished places are in general slightly more flexible about that. With the house we got, I asked the ll what the wall paint is and will refill and paint when we leave.