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Would you allow your tenant to paint if they signed their lease clause saying they must return it back to the original color? since you have beigy colors that might be harder than just saying paint the walls back to white (which is a common clause here in the city)
Lol yeah I did that ONE time against my better judgement but it was a well learned lesson. So well learned I specifically prohibit it. I'm not gonna give a dissertation of the whole story but I will NOT allow that any longer. If you want the whole story I'll PM you. I specifically let tenants know both verbally and in writing there are absolutely no modifications structural or visual allowed anywhere on any of our properties. If there is a problem call me I'll take care of it or I'll have someone out to do it if I can't or don't have the time. They should of brought up the paint "problem" before they even signed the lease. Its inconsequential weather you like the paint or they don't. The to petty was accepted as is. I've had a lot of people who applied ask if they can paint. No sorry there is no painting allowed.
What's gonna happen is you say ok go ahead and paint. They will do a **** poor job of painting and when it comes time for them to leave you'll spend a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to get it repainted. And they will want their deposit back because they don't feel like they should have to repaint or get charged for it
Last edited by Electrician4you; 09-05-2014 at 10:58 AM..
I could see your point had they brought it up prior to signing the lease.
We only have the OP's assertion about what was said (or not) and when...
and what was understood (or not) and why...
And even without the thread title which completely mis-characterized the nature of the issue
and what has come to be revealed some number of clarifying posts later as a clear defect...
there is still no good reason for any LL to not do some small task (like painting one room).
Too few LL's think about the two and three years later decisions to renew a lease...
and what will be the reason to do so or not.
.......I wanted to know if we are obligated to repaint the house for the tenant who has not even moved in yet (they have signed the lease). The tenant does not like the color of one room and is asking to repaint it for them. Are we legally obligated to do so? We never agreed on anything when signing the lease that we will repaint anything. .........
Tell her that if the room bothers her that you will get a quote from a qualified professional painter to paint the room in a neutral color and that she can pay the painter at her own expense to repaint the room and change the color.
She saw the house and accepted it. What you see is what you get and you don't get to move in and then redecorate to your own taste at the landlord's expense.
I've never yet had a good experience with tenants painting, so I suggest that you don't allow it. Professional painter or nothing.
What I would do, if she is a good trouble-free tenant, is that I would go in at the one year mark and have the room repainted to match the rest of the house in a neutral color. Give her time to prove that she is good tenant instead of the demanding entitled tenant that she appears to be at this point.
Tell her that if the room bothers her that you will get a quote from a qualified professional painter to paint the room in a neutral color and that she can pay the painter at her own expense to repaint the room and change the color.
She saw the house and accepted it. What you see is what you get and you don't get to move in and then redecorate to your own taste at the landlord's expense.
I agree. The tenant should have raised the question before accepting the unit "as is". I loved my present place the moment I laid eyes on it but the previous tenant had slapped grey paint on the walls and it was very dispiriting so I asked if it would be possible to repaint it white. I would have signed the lease regardless but the LL was happy to do the quick job. Asking AFTER the fact and only two days before move-in isn't acceptable. Should you decide to honor the request I would wait a few months and see how good they are as tenants before doing it ...
Lol yeah I did that ONE time against my better judgement but it was a well learned lesson. So well learned I specifically prohibit it. I'm not gonna give a dissertation of the whole story but I will NOT allow that any longer. If you want the whole story I'll PM you. I specifically let tenants know both verbally and in writing there are absolutely no modifications structural or visual allowed anywhere on any of our properties. If there is a problem call me I'll take care of it or I'll have someone out to do it if I can't or don't have the time. They should of brought up the paint "problem" before they even signed the lease. Its inconsequential weather you like the paint or they don't. The to petty was accepted as is. I've had a lot of people who applied ask if they can paint. No sorry there is no painting allowed.
What's gonna happen is you say ok go ahead and paint. They will do a **** poor job of painting and when it comes time for them to leave you'll spend a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to get it repainted. And they will want their deposit back because they don't feel like they should have to repaint or get charged for it
Oh wow I can imagine about 5 different ways they screwed up with the paint which ended up NOT good for you. You know, you are right, if you give some people an inch they take a mile.
In this case, it is better to be safe and say no, that way you will have your place exactly as you want it.
I would never let a tenant paint if i were a landlord for the above reasons.
As for me, I've always got professional painters and paid for it. didn't cost much and saved me from all the work that goes into it. and no paint drips to deal with either! I also paid to have the walls painted back to white when i left. some apartments i lived in had an accent wall that the building paid for as a perk to me.
ps. you dont have to tell me on the forum here, but i can almost guess your tenants from hell did one or more of these things - sloppy job, paint dripped all over baseboards/floor, etc, painted a window shut, didn't prep right, painted a horrible color that they told you one thing but it turned out to be another, painted over electrical outlets, put up wallpaper, painted over wallpaper, used horrible cheap paint, painted red and blue stripes, painted walls black, painted walls deep red, paint drips on your carpet. painted one coat rather than two and now looks tacky, painted with oil rather than latex, painted it silver or gold or metallic color, painted with latex but it did not adhere and now it peels. did not remove stickers and now painted over that, threw out leftover paint down your drains in the kitchen and bathroom.
I wanted to know if we are obligated to repaint the hosue for the tenant who has not even moved in yet (they have signed the lease). The tenant does not like the color of one room and is asking to repaint it for them. Are we legally obligated to do so? We never agreed on anything when signing the lease that we will repaint anything.
Thanks
Is this a serious question....tenant can paint it themselves if they don't like it in a professional way and paint it back in your color choice prior to move out unless you approve the color.
I wanted to know if we are obligated to repaint the hosue for the tenant who has not even moved in yet (they have signed the lease). The tenant does not like the color of one room and is asking to repaint it for them. Are we legally obligated to do so? We never agreed on anything when signing the lease that we will repaint anything.
Thanks
Heck no.!! And, I feel sorry for you already....This is one of "those" tenants......Offer to let them out of the lease...They will shut up, and they will know you mean business. If they want out, consider yourself lucky!!
EDIT....After further reading, and the color choices in said room.....I revise my post. I would certainly paint it a neutral color. I misread that you'd already painted the whole house....A kids rooms that has not been painted through two families...its time.
Clearly the paint job in this room is "special".
The previous occupant (owner) has an emotional relationship with it.
THIS is the problem.
I don't think so, since a prior owner painted that room. I think the current owner/landlord just left it 'as is' because the room didn't 'need' the be repainted (wasn't in bad condition).
Required? No. Would be a nice thing to do? Yes. How long did you live there after you bought it? And now it's going to its (at least) third set of occupants without a new coat of paint? It would be nice to just throw a neutral paint color up there. Now, it also would have been nice if the new tenants had said something two days before move in...if it had been me, I'd have mentioned it prior to signing the lease.
That room has a light sky blue on 2 walls and light lavender on 2 walls with stars on it. It was how we had received the room when we first bought the house. It was a kids room and since we had kids we left it the way it was. The previous renters did not have any issue with it. The lease specifically states that they cannot modify or decorate without prior permission from us. And moreover she wanted us to paint the room in 2 days before they moved in. They have seen the house and decided to rent. They did not have any issues with any paint whatsoever. And yes I am sensing that I will not have a pleasant time with this tenant. Also unfortunately they have signed a 2 year agreement with them. Ofcourse there is a clause that states that either party can get out of the lease prior to the term by giving 60 days notice.
So if all does not go well with that clause can we give them 60 days notice and ask them to leave?
So - this room hasn't been painted in HOW long? You bought it that way (so who knows how long it had been painted like that, you lived in it with your kids, and your rented it that way . . . I can only imagine what the walls look like at this point. As a renter, I think I would have possibly expected that you might be actually be getting the house ready for a new tenant by slapping a fresh coat of paint on it. Stars? Really?
Do yourself a favor and paint it a neutral color. Be professional.
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I can imagine about 5 different ways they screwed up with the paint which ended up NOT good for you. You know, you are right, if you give some people an inch they take a mile. 
