It could be a bit of a gamble, but if it’s a case of getting some money coming in from a tenant, rather than spending out on lots of decorating, then it may be an option worth exploring. As long as the property is structurally sound and no major renovations are required, then there could be benefits to be had for both landlord and tenant if the tenant does the initial decorating.

Tenant Benefits

For a start, it will mean they get to choose the colours and design (within reason – setting some boundaries is advisable) and get to live in a property where they’re happy with the interior decoration. This could work two-fold, as a tenant is more likely to look after a property when they’re happy with its looks and, if they’ve taken time to do the decorating themselves, they may take even more care with upkeep in the future.

Landlord Benefits

For the landlord, the immediate benefit is that you don’t have to worry about getting the property decorated yourself and, if it keeps the tenant happy, then hopefully they’ll stick around for a while and enjoy their decorating creations.

Get it in Writing

On a practical point though, it’s essential that you come to a proper agreement over how much decorating can be done, what you’re happy for them to do and any definite no no’s in terms of colour or design. It may be helpful to set a budget and ensure someone checks the property for quality too, as slap-dash decorating or instances where carpets get ruined by paint aren’t going to do you any favours in the long-run.

To keep tenants happy and emphasise the benefits for them, it’s a good idea to be specific from the outset about how much money they’ll be saving per month or per year for doing the decorating themselves.

The pros of letting tenants decorate

If you’ve been letting the property for a while, and it’s a long time since it was decorated, then it may be worth considering it if you’ve got a tenant who wants to give it a go. Even better if they have decorating experience, or simply want to put a new coat of paint in one room.

However, be sure to make it clear what they’re allowed to do and not do, preferably in writing. This includes which rooms they can touch and what they’re allowed to do, in terms of painting or wallpapering. You may even want to vet the colours or ideas, just in case they’ve very outlandish.

The cons of letting tenants decorate

Mention the decorating issue to landlords and some will always have horror stories to share. Although it may seem like a tempting offer to have someone else do the hard work for you, do you really want to put your property in their hands?

Horror stories of decorating gone wrong involve garish colours, badly hung wallpaper, bad painting, paint in areas that shouldn’t have been painted and half done jobs that were abandoned.

Realistically, you can never be 100% certain that tenants will do a decorating job properly, so if you’ve got any doubts about their ability or commitment, it’s best to do it yourself, or pay an expert to come in and do it. It’s the only way to avoid unwanted decorating nightmares.

It helps to have this covered in your paperwork and contract, so they know they can’t just whip out a tin of paint and start decorating when they feel like it.

If there’s no major need to decorate just yet, then a good time is always between rentals – as one tenant moves out, and before another arrives.