When decorating their rental properties, many inexperienced landlords spend too much time and money creating an aesthetic that appeals to them, but not to their tenants.
We’ve written this blog post to provide landlords with guidance on best practice when decorating, to ensure they save money and attract tenants.
Paint vs Wallpaper
You should always avoid wallpaper when decorating your property because of its tendency to tear and mark. It’s difficult to repair such issues without having to repaper the entire wall, but it’s easy to touch up knocks with a light application of paint. In the void period between tenancies, landlords often wish to refresh the look of their property. This is easy with a new coat of paint; the same effect cannot be quickly achieved with wallpaper without quite some expense.
When choosing a paint colour, landlords should pick one which is neutral and bright and which does not clash with many other colours. Whether the property is modern or traditional, a neutral tone such as magnolia will always look good and will not look dated after a few years.
Saving Money On Paint
If you are a portfolio landlord with a number of different properties, it is best to use the same colour scheme throughout all of them, buy your paint in bulk and keep an eye out for special promotions and discounts. Choose a popular colour from a well-known brand so that you know shops will always have it in stock. When a tenant moves out at the end of their tenancy, don’t change the colour of paint you originally used. By using the same colour, you won’t have to use several coats, saving you valuable money.
Before You Begin
Before you start painting, check the walls for signs of damp. Covering them up and leaving the damp to spread could cost you an eye-watering sum of money later down the line. If it is ignored, it will lead to cracking paint, mould, and will eventually leave the house unfit for human habitation. If you do discover damp, fixing the issue should be your number one priority. The room may have to be replastered and fitted with a new damp course. Remember to allow the plaster to dry completely before painting it.
Use a Paint Sprayer
Before you begin painting, wipe down the walls and fill in any small holes. Then, invest in a paint sprayer. Whilst there will be some expense when you first buy the product, you will thank yourself later, when decorating large expanses of wall becomes easier and ultimately cheaper (using a paint sprayer is far more efficient than using a roller). Take the same precautions when paint spraying as you would when painting normally, such as using sheets to cover carpets and affixing masking tape around windows, skirting boards and light switches.
Flooring
Once you have decorated the walls of your property, you may notice the flooring looking the worse for wear. Consider replacing the carpet with something new, but again, keep it plain (but don’t go for something too light, as stains will show up easily). Don’t be tempted to buy the cheapest carpet though, as it’ll quickly wear down in high traffic areas.
Don’t have the time to decorate?
Once the team at Worsley Estate Agents, PickMyPad, have sourced suitable properties for investors and landlords, they then fully decorate them in a style that appeals to tenants, leaving you to relax while we do the hard work for you. Contact us now on 0800 500 3015.
