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Painting in a rented house - have to paint when we leave

8 replies

Beerorfear · 07/09/2022 20:40

I recently moved into a new house (rented) with my son. His bedroom walls are currently painted by the last tenant in bright purple spots. I kid you not. But to make matters worse, the last tenant had glued a poster to the wall directly, and when they pulled it off, it pulled off several layers of paint.

It was like this when I viewed. I asked if it would be rectified, they said no. So I assumed , fine I'll paint over it myself.

My ds has fallen in love with the idea of having nice light blue walls in his bedroom. I was going to get my dad to do it (decorator) and use really good quality paint.

We asked for permission to do it, and the agents said sure, but the walls must be painted white when we move out.

I understand them not wanting us to paint over good paintwork they've had done. But the walls are really ugly, old, and damaged by the last tenant. In a way, I thought we'd be doing them a favour by decorating.

Don't really want to do it, as it means I will feel stuck here and currently not sure if I will have spare cash in the future to paint them white.

OP posts:
Isausernameavailable · 07/09/2022 20:45

I'd just get your dad to do it and cross your bridges when you meet them. Take before and after photos and keeps them. Landlords have to justify any deposit retention so if you show that it's better than when you moved in you should be fine

strawberry2017 · 07/09/2022 20:53

Well if they let the last tenant leave purple spots it's clearly not something they check up on!

NoSquirrels · 07/09/2022 20:55

Did you have a check-in inventory? With photos?

Sounds to me like the agents are just giving the standard answer rather than realising about the walls.

I’d do it if I were you.

Swannning · 07/09/2022 20:55

strawberry2017 · 07/09/2022 20:53

Well if they let the last tenant leave purple spots it's clearly not something they check up on!

Or they nab the departing tenant's money from the deposit but bank it rather than using it to put it right!

Creepymanonagoatfarm · 07/09/2022 21:00

Surely you repaint it purple and add spots?
Left as found...

WyldeSwan · 07/09/2022 21:00

Swannning · 07/09/2022 20:55

Or they nab the departing tenant's money from the deposit but bank it rather than using it to put it right!

That was my first thought too!

mondaytosunday · 07/09/2022 21:30

Goodness I must be the most amenable landlord ever! My tenants wanted the (Designers Guild) wallpaper removed and the matching blinds changed and I did it.
I'd push for the walls to be painted now. It's standard to say wall must be returned to original colour if painted, but that presumed they are in good shape to begin with. I'd push them in this (unless the market is extremely competitive where you are in which case suck it up, and it's quite likely they won't have you repaint it if it looks nice.

Magnanimouse · 07/09/2022 21:50

I suspect the landlord/agent didn't include "don't paint the walls random colours" in the previous tenancy agreement and therefore got their fingers burnt when they couldn't pursue the tenant for the repainting cost. They're now being cautious about what paint gets put on their walls.

As landlord, they don't seem to mind whether the walls are either
(i) Left as they are with purple spots
(ii) Painted white by the tenant

So why not white now? If it had been white already, you probably wouldn't have been asking to paint it blue.

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