Renters’ Rights Bill sees landlords embrace tenant customisation

when tenants enter council properties the carpets are often worn out musty and in need of a clean tenants often replace the carpets and decorate repainting the property. some tenants also take pride in their home and some don’t

I’ve had tenants “personalise” my properties before. Dark paints on the nice, light and bright kitchen cupboard doors. Black skirting boards. Deep blue walls. No wonder people are feeling depressed when they make the place a dark, awful hole.

Another word for personalise that could be used in this situation: ruin.

Glad I’ll be out of this next year. Last one to go. Good luck to those who remain… they’ll need it!

Reply to the comment left by Liam at 12/02/2025 – 10:37
Just like the tenant who painted everything with dark blue poster paint. Everything including the window glass.

For the record this was a benefits tenant, and we all know that benefit tenants are no more risky than working tenants, Shelter told us so.

I’ve been a Landlord for many years and I never allow tenants to decorate but I do allow them to choose the paint colours and then agree their suitability. I always maintain my properties standards with 5 years external and 7 years internal and where I rarely get a tenant changeover I get the property checked over to ensure the paintwork is up to standard. Its also checked with regular reviews by the Management Company who look after my properties.
I don’t see the need for the Government to interfere their interference will make more Landlords like me decide to sell up over a period and make it harder in future for people to find rental property. Last time in September 2023 when one of my houses became available the Property Management Company had 12 applications for viewing on day one and a gap of 2 days between leaving and new tenancy signed up for 2 years which I always offer.

Many years ago we had a tenant paint the woodwork orange (very badly) and the walls dark blue. As if that wasn’t enough they gave the left over paint to a tenant in another flat downstairs to spread the joy. Also ended up with paint on the stairs carpet between the two flats.
The problem is everyone thinks they can paint. They can’t most people don’t have the skill to leave a good finish or prep for the paint. Time spent undoing bad paint jobs is more than normal redecoration.

Yes. Its all in the prep and taking your time cutting in. And IMO good quality paint!

Reply to the comment left by The Good Tennant at 15/02/2025 – 10:47
Yes exactly. I forgot about the paint. We use diamond Matt Trade if Dulux and it lasts a lot longer than cheap of the shelf brands. We also have started using Little Greene with a washable finish which we are trialing because the colours seem nicer which again is even more expensive than Dulux Trade Diamond.