Grey or brown carpets in rental

[Justletmelogon]

Basically that! What colour should I choose for my buy to let property? It's the whole house so looking for all same throughout. I was advised to get grey, but I hate grey, I know I'm not going go be living in it but is it just a in fashion colour? I know how much it is hated on MN .
Or do I go with a safe lightish brown, or will that show up the dirt more? it has magnolia walls through out too.

God not chav gray, bloody awful! We only have carpet in our bedrooms and living room. Hall/kitchen/bathrooms - laminate/vinyl. That was most of the dirt is off before they get to the carpeted rooms. We're white throughout. To be fair, we do let people paint it whatever colour they want so long as they turn it back to white when they move out. Most times they do it, the ones that don't would have done it anyway so better to give permission, makes them feel like it's their home. (Cue other MN saying it is their home - yes, it is until they move or if I ever need them to move).

White walls - beige / truffle carpet.

I’d go for a dark colour such as charcoal. Brown is so bland but grey would appeal more to me if I was renting.

Personally, I would not put carpeting in a rental property. I would put vinyl throughout and the renters can provide their own area rugs.

It’s a done deal now but you’d have been better with white rather than magnolia walls-magnolia should be banned immediately, terrible colour which never looks crisp and clean

If the flat’s liner to appeal to younger tenants I’d go grey for the carpets-but I’m a child of the 70s so can’t stand brown!

I’ve had two rental properties, with mid-light brown carpets in both. No problems renting either of them.

The 80's called and asked for it's magnolia paint and brown carpet back.

You might not like grey, but brown is vile for carpets.

Brown is awful for carpets and really makes rentals look cheap.

Just don't put anything too light in, my landlord put very light almost cream carpets throughout and it was a bugger to keep clean. I had the carpets professionally cleaned when I moved out after 7 years and you could still see where the furniture had been. He was not happy

Thanks for all the comments.
The walls are all magnolia in great condition so I'm not changing that, tenants can if they want.
We have light brownish / oatmeal flecks carpets at home so it hides the dirt 😄.
I'm definitely puttingvinyl in the kitchen and bathroom ( currently carpeted up and behind the loo

The house we rent has oatmeal carpets throughout and they look lovely, even after several years of living here. That's with white walls though, magnolia is a crime! Can't stand grey carpets.

Magnolia is such a depressing colour!

Grey vs brown -- I'd probably err towards a lightish grey but try to find a tone that isn't too cold.

And consider Berber loop carpets -- MIL, who owns three rental houses, swears by it. It might not be the latest thing but it looks OK and it's good value, tough and easy to keep clean.

But quite honestly, whatever's cheapest long-term really.

I'd be careful of some Berber carpets, they don't wear well (we had one where the loops pulled up). Ask in a carpet shop for a very heavy duty carpet.
You can get a mid toned neutral cool beige/warm grey speckled colour that won't show every mark. Tenants are much less fussy about the attractiveness of the colour than how much deposit they will lose when they see a whole downstairs with cream carpets.
Dont set up your tenants for problems by carpeting hallways/rooms you have to walk though, or leaving no space for doormats.

I have a brown carpet and it hides dirt more than my grey carpet.

DD2 rented a house with a fairly new darkish grey carpet in the living room.
It turned out previous tenants had let their dog pee all over it 🤮 and despite cleaning it smelled so bad both the carpet and underlay had to be removed.
Replacement carpet was a beige twist pile; it looked much brighter and made the room feel bigger.
(Walls were white)
So many of the things that get spilled are brownish - tea, coffee, beer, coke etc - stains show up less on a brownish carpet

We have grey and brown carpet. Grey has been down just over a year and looks awful already. Dark brown was here when we moved in and shows nothing. We had lighter brown in our old house and it only showed where the kids has spilled nail varnish. I'd get light brown with flecks. It's very forgiving.

(I don’t get the outright hate for magnolia - it isn’t even just one colour, it can be anything from a slightly tinted white to pink. Pale cream version is lovely IMO )

I would never have carpeting in my rentals ever again. I have replaced all carpeting with the hardest wearing laminate with matching vinyl in all bathrooms and kitchens. All paintwork white. Looks great with minimum maintenance.

I'm in a rental and have brown carpets but wish they choose grey!!

Ugh not brown or beige, they are just so horrible and dated. I have mid grey and it's been down 4 years and still looks great, it's just an acrylic. In my old house I had a lovely yellowy cream which managed to be quite neutral and lasted well.

I have this in my hallway and bedroom which is now 14 years old, kind of oatmeal with flecks. It has worn SO well!

We’ve had a sort of beige speckled with brown Berber type in a rental for nearly 10 years now, and it still looks nice.

Personally I’d advise against any solid colour, especially the darker ones - they’re going to show every tiny speck or mark.
Ready-speckled are IMO the way to go, with not too dark a background.

I prefer griege/taupe/oatmeal with slight fleck as you say.
Consider hard flooring for downstairs as will be bigger outlay maybe but last forever.

Charcoal would have been good but not with magnolia walls I think.

Go for a milky tea with flecks colour