Too soon for a paint request?

Too soon for a paint request?

11:00 AM, 11th August 2021, About 3 years ago 17

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A tenant moved in during June after the whole flat was fully and professionally redecorated (white) and re-carpeted (light grey). She now has asked to repaint the walls and put up shelves.

On the one hand, I think yes, but on the other, she hasn’t been there long at all, and I know it will be a DIY job if she does.

Is it right to suggest she lives there a bit longer first (min 6 months at least) before I agree to this?

Many thanks

DSR


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Comments

Mike

16:03 PM, 12th August 2021, About 3 years ago

Exactly, one stupid tenant painted a box room walls with ocean waves in deep blue in gloss, and light blue sky, it took me 3 coats to bring it to a neutral rentable state, he didn't even ask me if he could do that, his bedroom was painted again in deep colours like maroon, and grey, what a horrible taste! New tenants would never have accepted those stupid colours. If tenants really want stupid colours then buy their own flipping house and do as they like. Not bugger my house. I really don't care if they pay me rent, they pay me rent to live in my property, and not to abuse it. If they want that stupidity they can get the hell out there and go somewhere else, simples. The next new tenant lived there for 6 years and didn't ask me for a repaint but he asked for a change of carpets, which were pretty worn out by then, so two years ago or in their 5th year carpets were changed to their taste.

Reluctant Landlord

8:27 AM, 13th August 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by LaLo at 12/08/2021 - 11:21
Always show its because of financial affordability! That way you never get dragged into the whole issue of being in any way 'discriminatory' for any other reason than that!

JB

9:12 AM, 13th August 2021, About 3 years ago

Sometimes tenants dont ask - they just do it regardless.

One tenant painted round the sofas!

Another (in a newly painted magnolia flat) painted one room dark green, one dark red and another dark blue. It turned out she was running a brothel from the flat!

You've got to laugh or you'd cry!

Badger

14:36 PM, 14th August 2021, About 3 years ago

Been there, done that, got a whole drawer full of the t-shirts! 🙁

On the most recent occasion the tenant, to my considerable surprise, actually requested permission to redecorate - albeit very early (just a couple of months) into the tenancy.

Given this apparent show of following the rules I had high hopes that they would respond positively to my politely worded reply of "yes, but only once you have been in place for 12 months".

In fact, what they actually did was to completely ignore this and go ahead and redecorate almost the entire house using some of the cheapest and nastiest "glitter" paint (literally paint with glitter in it!).

There were also numerous nails and screws driven into the walls of every room. Two rooms of which were so bad that they looked like something akin to a fire fight involving the SAS and automatic machine guns had taken place!

If anybody has a clue as to how to successfully avoid this kind of thing happening I'm all ears because after many years in the game I still can't figure out how to!

Badger

14:38 PM, 14th August 2021, About 3 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Badger at 14/08/2021 - 14:36
I should add that the property in question had only just been newly redecorated throughout after the last tenant had pulled a similar stunt.

Grrrr......

steve p

16:58 PM, 16th August 2021, About 3 years ago

Just explain you have had issues before with bad DIY decorating and problems when it needs to be repainted so unfortunately your policy is not to allow tenants to redecorate.. (Even if a tenant had been in there 10yrs if they paint it black and them move out and it takes 5 coats to cover its still costing you money.)

I would then go on to say but as a compromise as long as the colour is a neutral colour so could be re-let without having to change the colour, so magnolia, a light grey etc and the job is undertaken by my painter and decorator then yes..

I bet 99% of the time the thought of having to pay for someone to decorate will put them off, plus don't be suckered in by the who oh my brother is a professional painter so he would be doing it.. (Which is always bulls**t)

colette

20:46 PM, 17th August 2021, About 3 years ago

As your tenant had a court of protection order on him, via a solicitor appointed as his deputy by tgat court then you should have written to the Office of the PUblic Guardian (who oversee court appointed deputies) to complain the deputy had defaulted on the agreement with you and was in breach of his legal duty. The OPG would then have had a duty to investigate and you could have prepared a bill to send with the complaint.

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