One of the big issues most have with renting is the often-misguided belief that they have limited opportunity to add personal touches that makes your place feel like home. Giving a coat of paint to the walls or adding feature wallpaper can make a big difference but it’s not always that easy to do. A lot will depend on the terms of your tenancy as well as how long you are in the property for, not to mention what your landlord thinks.
When the right tenant is in place, from a landlord point of view, allowing them to give the property a makeover can actually be cost effective and beneficial. This is especially when you consider that more of us are renting for longer than ever before.
Decorating a Rented Property
If you are a tenant who wants to personalise their rented property, here’s our quick guide on what to consider:
Review Your Tenancy Agreement
The most important point is to check your tenancy agreement to see whether decorating such as painting the walls is allowed. You will probably find that for short term tenancies it won’t be allowed, for obvious reasons. If it is, or you’re on a long-term contract, there may be stipulations such as the tenant covering the cost of the redecoration or only allowed to use certain colours.
Get To Know Your Landlord or Agent
Making the landlord or agent aware of your décor wishes is important. Whether the landlord deals with you direct or through a letting agent, take the time to contact the appropriate person and discuss what you want to do.
Some landlords may be only too happy for you to, for example, paint a bedroom or spruce up the living room. Others might be reticent if they think you are likely to cost them money because they fear they will need to redecorate at the end of your tenancy. Conversely some will want you to feel at home and will allow redecoration.
Building a relationship with a landlord or agent is key if you want to be able to personalise your property. It enables you to create a level of trust which may mean they are more likely to listen to your ideas and allow some form of change.
Make Sure You Have the Skills
It’s one thing to want to redecorate your rental property, another having the skills to do so. Even painting a wall can end disastrously if you don’t know what you are doing. Make sure that you don’t take on a job that is too big or too complex and beyond your skill level. Some decorating work can look easy on the surface but will quickly go wrong if you don’t have any experience behind you. A good source of DIY help videos can be found on B&Q’s YouTube Channel.
How to Personalise Your New Home
There is a chance that your landlord could say no to you redecorating. After all, they don’t really know what your skill level is and how good a job you are going to make of things.
If that’s the case, there are still a variety of ways you can personalise your rental property without getting out the paint brushes or rolls of wall paper. This can include introducing throws for the sofa or wall hangings, rugs and other removable furnishings. Plants and ornaments can also make a big difference. Replacing generic art that may be on the walls if the property is furnished, with your own can also transform something slightly depersonalised into your own space, even if for only a short time.
In summary, check your contract, talk to your landlord or letting agent and if you are unable to decorate, get creative with removable furnishings that will make your house your home
