Having a good relationship with your landlord is important, even if you’re seldom in contact. Any negotiations about your quality of living should be handled respectfully.
Unfortunately, maintaining positive relations can be more challenging when landlords refuse to allow changes to their property. Moreover, some of them can be downright exploitative, even hiking up rents as a direct response to repair requests.
That said, not all landlords are bad. Sometimes, even the landlords that are a bit dubious can be persuaded to come around, too, especially when you need to redecorate your rental home. You might be nervous about making that request, but there are a few things to do to make your position more credible and convincing.
So, what can be done here? We discuss down below.
Find Reputable Local Painters and Decorators
The unknown can be the thing that causes the most apprehension in anyone, so providing concrete details of the project you have in mind is a good idea. You can start by finding reputable local professionals.
MyBuilder can help you find local painters and decorators up to the task. You can post your job on their website (perhaps the listing can be written in collaboration with your landlord) and then field responses from vetted and reviewed painters and decorators near you and your landlord. They’ll offer free quotes as well. All of these factors can provide some much-needed assurances to your landlord and give them time to think as no-obligation threads come together.
You can also chat with the local painters and decorators to glean more assurances. You could enquire about the materials used, cost breakdowns of individual project aspects, general project timelines, and more. All of this information can help landlords more accurately visualise the logistics of the work and deem them more reasonable. The decision can be informed, not a hasty compulsion to overhaul everything about the rental property.
Of course, consulting professionals also assure them that the work will be carried out to an expert degree. Landlords can understandably be hesitant about a tenant conducting DIY work with their property/investment, so handing off these duties to true experts can earn your pitch favour.
Invite Them To Visit
Landlords don’t typically make a habit of regularly dropping by their rental properties once a tenant is under the roof. They can stop by on occasion, though, so inviting them now could be a good idea.
After all, perhaps it’s been a while since they last saw the property with their own eyes? Not every tenant is comfortable having their landlord nosy around, but if they can see for themselves any signs that some decorative work needs to be carried out, they may be far more inclined to appreciate your position.
If they come to visit, be cordial and polite. Give them space as they move around the property rather than hovering over their shoulder or desperately pleading with them. Trust them to make the right decision. If they don’t, there are other steps you can follow without trying to start an argument.
Provide Evidence of Need
Not all landlords will be inclined to visit when you make that request. Nevertheless, few people can argue with objective proof; even landlords. If your evidence can back up matters of law, too, so much the better.
Your landlord is legally obligated to keep your home free of hazards. While redecorating is often surface level and won’t solve every property issue, it can help with things like:
- Replacing or covering up faulty wiring.
- Smoothing out uneven floorboards.
- Replacing lead-based paints.
If any of these problems are present (paints might be hard to proof), then take a picture and send it on to the relevant parties. Ensure it’s in focus and captures the full scale of the problem authentically. Don’t use Photoshop, or any other picture editing tools, to make things appear worse than they are.
Show Other Success You’ve Had
Evidence can be about more than what needs to be done. If you’ve successfully given properties a decorative overhaul before, it might be worth showing proof of that too.
Do you have any before and after photos of any other properties you’ve hired professionals to work on? If so, it could be well worth sharing them. It will highlight your great judgement and perhaps rouse a landlord into action once they see the potential and scope of positive changes before them.
Once again, be honest and forthcoming about any prior efforts. Don’t use any editing tools or filters to make your past work seem better than it is. So long as you’ve proven that you’ve raised standards and improved quality, the landlord should be able to see that you know what you’re doing and talking about.
It’s also worth reiterating that any DIY work you’ve done shouldn’t be referenced. Even if you’ve succeeded, it may permanently turn landlords off your proposal. Mention that you hired reputable companies to oversee everything. You can further discuss how quick and capable they were and other factors regarding how smoothly everything went.
Discuss the Impact
Redecorating isn’t just about sprucing up a property to make it look nice. If your aims only consider aesthetics, your landlord is perhaps more likely to refuse your request.
However, the condition of a property can raise or worsen issues around mental well-being for tenants. Such is no matter to shrug off lightly. If your landlord is a human being with a soul, they’ll be more inclined to hear you out and sympathise if you can share the true depths of your struggle.
We’re not recommending you lie about how bad things are (just in case that prospect has crossed your mind), as that would be unethical. However, if the property’s condition is rooting you in the sense of deep misery, such is well worth mentioning if you’re comfortable enough to do so.
These conversations may not be easy to have. Therefore, it may be worth writing down a list of how badly things affect you and anyone else you live with. That way, should you be overwhelmed by emotion during the discussion, you’ll have some notes to help you veer the dialogue back on track. Be direct, clarify, and avoid getting angry or blaming the landlord, no matter how bad the situation is or justified your words would be.
Consider Their Aims Too
Try to make your efforts around redecorating more inclusive. Mention more than your own goals.
If you can put yourself in the landlords’ shoes, so much the better! They may be more inclined if your proposed redecorating work could:
- Raise the market value of their home.
- Potentially boost the property’s energy efficiency depending on practices undertaken and materials used.
- Raise the likelihood of you remaining on the property for longer or your vacancy being filled quickly, maintaining a steadier stream of income for the landlord.
That said, as you’re no doubt aware, rental prices have steadily risen recently for many properties in the UK. If you’re dealing with a greedy and unethical landlord, there’s a chance they’ll approve your request if it means they can substantially boost your rent. If you can cover those costs and you think that’s a fair arrangement, great. On the other hand, if you’re in hard times (and many unfortunately are), it’s worth keeping this in mind before making a decision.
