In a recent survey of 1,000 tenants carried out by Endsleigh Insurance -
19% of tenants want the option of painting walls in a colour they like
17% want to fix screws in walls to hang heavy pictures and mirrors
10% of tenants want to hang wallpaper
9% want to stick posters and pictures on the wall using blue-tack
9% want to fix a flat-screen TV to the wall
The upshot of this research is that tenants want to do all the things anyone does when they want to add their own personal touches.
And who can blame them?
It’s perfectly understandable from a landlord’s perspective, but for a tenant, not being able to hang pictures or decorate means the property will never really feel like a home. And if it doesn’t, why stay?
When a tenant has spent good money on paint and wallpaper, they fully intend on sticking around for a while. Long-term tenants are a landlord’s best friend. Each time a decent tenant moves out, it takes time to find a new one of the same calibre.
If a tenant wants to decorate, they clearly take pride in their home. For a landlord, this is good. Tenants are more likely to look after their home if they have gone to the trouble of painting and decorating.
Happier tenants lead to happier landlords. Everyone is a winner.