When you take on a new tenant, one of the first things they’re likely to ask about is painting their rental unit. Most tenants want to feel as though the unit is their own, and choosing the color of the walls is one way of doing that. You can handle this situation better by preparing a response you can give to every tenant.
When Must the Landlord Paint Each Rental Unit?
There are situations in which you’re required by law to repaint the walls in your rental units. Unless you work with a property management company, you may need to hire painters to do this for you.
You must repaint the walls if the existing paint is peeling or chipping. You might also have to remove older paint and apply a fresh coat to get rid of lead paint.
You Can Offer Conditional Permission to Paint
Even if you decide to allow tenants to paint their rental units, you can still require specific conditions. For example, you might want the option to approve the colors your tenants want to use.
Another thing to consider is whether the tenant should do the painting themselves. Requiring them to hire professional painters will reduce the chances of paint ending up on the unit’s flooring, ceiling, or baseboards.
Offer Alternatives to Painting
Of course, you can always avoid potential issues by denying permission for new tenants to paint their units.
Rather than giving a flat-out refusal, try offering compromising alternatives, such as allowing them to hang curtains or tapestries or suggesting the use of temporary wallpaper, also known as renter’s wallpaper.
These options allow your tenants to customize their units without forcing either of you to undertake big, costly painting projects.
Save Time with Professional Property Management
When you work with Reliable Property Management, Inc., you’ll find that we offer a broad range of services that can save you valuable time and resources. Call us today at (443) 869-3799 to discuss your property management needs.