Decorating tips for landlords
Remember that decorating a property for rental is quite different from decorating your own home
Decorating a property for rental is quite different from decorating your own home. When preparing to rent out your house, you should aim to create a blank canvas that prospective tenants will be able to visualise stamping their own mark on.
And the better your property looks, the more likely it is you’ll attract a good tenant that’s prepared to pay a bit more.
So, find out what the general standard in the market you are targeting is and look at how much more rent you could charge for going over and above the ‘norm’.
While you need to bear in mind the needs of your target market – for example whether you’re planning on renting to students, young professionals or families – the following tips will apply in most situations:
Opt for the same shade and brand of neutral paint in a satin and durable finish throughout the majority of the property.This will be more cost-effective and easier to touch up, clean and maintain than wallpaper or a variety of paint finishes, saving you time, effort and money. In the kitchen and bathroom, it’s advisable to use moisture and steam resistant paint.
Although wood or good quality laminate is easier to clean and maintain, tenants tend to prefer carpets in bedrooms. But choose one that won’t easily show dirt and go for decent quality as cheap carpets are unlikely to last in a rental property. See this mydeposits article for lots of useful tips on the best flooring for landlords and tenants.
If you’re in a position to renovate the bathroom before renting out your property, it’s worth splashing out on good quality, plain white sanitaryware and investing in a good shower, which is a tenant must-have.Making sure the shower’s ‘working parts’ are accessible without taking off tiles can be helpful for future fixes. Fully tiling the walls and floor looks stylish and makes it easy to clean, or it might be worth investigating fitting panels. If you choose quality ones and have them expertly fitted, they can be cheaper and even easier to clean than tiles.Bear in mind that you’re likely to need to reseal around sinks and shower trays and get rid of any mould in between tenancies.
In the kitchen, think first and foremost about practicality and go for good quality, hard wearing materials. Invest in sturdy base units, plain cupboard doors with strong soft-close hinges and counter tops that won’t show marks easily.Ideally, if you have a good base units, in the future you can just replace doors and work surfaces, rather than the whole kitchen. Avoid integrated appliances, which tend to be more expensive, as well as more of a hassle to fix.
Top tip: Don’t go overboard. You’re aiming for a clean and presentable property which will appeal to a broad range of tenants and will be easy to keep looking good without costing you a fortune.
