redecorating with tenants in residence

[gnawood]

Our long term tenants have a very full flat and have asked me about repainting.

The Lounge-dining room could be done half at a time by moving stuff around.

The smaller items like videos and books could be boxed and put in the outside hallway for the duration.

But I fear but the bedrooms would be almost impossible.

They are good tenants and we are happy to pay for the decorating.

Guidance on how to respond would be greatly appreciated.

Also any recommendations on how to get a painter in the Southwark / Walworth area would be useful.

Thanks.

[Mortitia]

I have never had to get a decorator in with tenants in situ. Sometimes I havel let tenants emulsion the walls themselves and provided the paint - Dulux Magnolia and that has been fine.

As for a decorator I have used www.checkatrade.co.uk to get tradesmen and more recently gumtree - again online to get a glass repair done.

Hope that helps.

Mortitia

[isabelm@isabelm.plus.com]

1. If tenants want to do the painting themselves, you can pay for the materials. That often satisfies them, is cheap for you but can mean it's a poorly executed task.

2. You could choose the decorator and agree terms/colour-scheme, but leave the tenants themselves to agree a suitable time for the work, so that the tenants make the arrangements for giving the decorator access to the rooms and either moving stuff around or getting it covered up and protected.

3. You could tell the tenants you'll be happy to pay, but they can arrange everything directly with a decorator. In this case you'd tell them the max price you'd cover, and the rules about colours that they should stick to.

As it is the tenants who are seeking to renew the decor, they'll certainly be more amenable to taking on the arrangements or accepting some hassle than if it had been your idea! That's what we have found many times in the past.

[Melboy]

I made the mistake, as it turned out, of allowing what I thought were going to be long term tenants redecorate a perfectably decorated lounge and what a hash they made of that as well. Never again!

The colour went from a neutral cream to two shades of puke green on the walls. They moved out 2 months later and it took me the best part of a week to sort out their amatuerish painting.

Mel.

[gnawood]

Many thanks for your comments.

Tomorrow, I meet a painter on site to get his thoughts and will definitely try the suggestion of IsabelM.

You could choose the decorator and agree terms/colour-scheme, but leave the tenants themselves to agree a suitable time for the work, so that the tenants make the arrangements for giving the decorator access to the rooms and either moving stuff around or getting it covered up and protected.

Thanks.

[sjcollett]

would be interested to know how you get on - i have property over that way aswell

as an aside - (but probably a bit late now) you have to be careful that you're not going to incur extra labour costs because of their stuff being there (also I would be careful to think about that they have to be there while the work is happening) I would not allow a tradesman to be in a tenant house without being accompanied by a member of staff/ tenant.

Also - you have to think about if any damage is done to their belongings and get this covered (e.g. for example he gets some paint over their tv)

Sorry to sound so negative, but it's best to get these things checked off just in case....

Many thanks for your comments.

Tomorrow, I meet a painter on site to get his thoughts and will definitely try the suggestion of IsabelM.

Thanks.

[Lyndon]

Whichever option you decide, please put it in writing to the tenants, even if just by email. Not necessarily formal just something along the lines of, "Just to confirm that as per our discussion on _____ I have agreed that _____ will redecorate your rooms in ____colour making access arrangements directly with yourselves. It will be your responsibily to remove your belonging and to protect them from potential paint splashes. Neither the contractor nor myself will accept any liabilty for damage caused to your belongings."

This will give them the opportunity to query any part of what has been agreed as well as emphasising that the work is being done with their agreement while they are in situ.