LANDLORDS DECORATING & RENOVATION TIPS:

Posted on July 31, 2017 in Building Maintenance

SCHEDULE LANDLORDS DECORATING

Time is money. The longer you spend renovating, the bigger the financial hit.

Make a realistic plan, and stick to it, but allow for contingencies. If you’re planning to redecorate in-between tenancies, start decorating the day after the tenants leave, and source all the tools and supplies well before the job. If you can start before the old tenants legally vacate/surrender with their permission, even better.

If you know you’re going to need outside help from professional contractors, it’s important to book their time in advance. If they’re any good, they’ll be in demand.

APPLY FOR COUNCIL TAX EXEMPTION

If the property will remain unfurnished and vacant during your renovation, contact your local council and apply for landlord council tax exception. You may or may not succeed, but it’s worth enquiring.

USE TILES WHERE YOU CAN

Use tiles over paint/laminate where possible, especially in rooms that are moist and prone to mould, like bathrooms, utility rooms, and kitchens.

Tiles are much more durable, resistant to infestations and easier to maintain than paint. Dark tiles with a dark grouting is always a good choice (white/light grouting can quickly become grubby looking).

BE MOULD-PROOF

Mould is a common and often serious problem in properties, especially for landlords because it comes attached with potential health risks, and you don’t want to fight that legal battle. It can also slice through paint/plaster like a knife cutting through warm butter, which means it can be extremely expensive and difficult to remove/resolve, so it’s one of those cases where prevention is definitely the best cure.

There are a few steps landlords can take to reduce the chances of an outbreak:

• Use mould resistant products like the anti-mould paint, especially in high-risk areas like kitchens and bathrooms.

Alternatively ‘antibacterial paint additive’, you basically mix the liquid into any regular paint and it prevents mould and mildew from multiplying, thus they die out before becoming unsightly mouldy patch. It’s cheaper than off-the-shelf anti-mould paint and effective for the lifetime of the painted surface…

• Install an extractor fan in the bathroom which activates when the bathroom light is switched on. Also, an extractor fan in the kitchen, above the cooker.
• Allow extractor fans to overrun for 20mins once they’re switched off. This is a common feature in most modern extractors.
• Ensure gutters get cleaned and serviced regularly, especially if the property is close to tall trees.
• Don’t provide the property with any indoor plants. The moist soil in indoor plants is a perfect breeding ground for mould, which may then spread to other areas of the house.
• Check that there are no leaks in the property before, during and after each let. Goes without saying regular landlord inspections are crucial to help keep your property in order.
• Even if you see the slightest sign of mould, remove it immediately, and make it’s all gone. Many people make the mistake of leaving traces of mould behind, and then wonder why it keeps resurfacing. If you don’t kill/remove it ALL, mould spores will just continue to grow/spread.
• Don’t let a property that is infested with mould- cure the problem first! I’m not sure how tried and tested it is, but if a tenant becomes ill due to the landlord’s negligence, it could end up costly.
• If the property is naturally warm and damp for whatever reason, you could provide the property with a humidifier.
• Tiles are a lot more resistant to mould than plasterboard/walls, so it seems to be the safer option in comparison to paint. Although, grouting seems to extract mould pretty easily, but at least that’s easier to clean than paint- you can also get anti-mould grout!

AVOID LIGHT PAINTS AND CARPETS

Getting caught in the “Magnolia” trap is an easy thing to do.

Light colours provides the illusion of space and cleanliness, which of course is the perfect cocktail to entice prospective tenants. But the compelling illusion has an extremely short life-span, especially in BTL properties. A few months of practical living and the once-glowing shades of magnolia become gloomy and murky. It’s extremely difficult to keep light walls and carpets clean, and generally speaking, it’s work that most tenants won’t have any interest in participating in. Ultimately, applying a light colour palette is a sure-fire way to exhaust your funds on frequent coats of paints and replacement carpets. Avoid it.

We find that mid-toned browns and greys are most practical/durable. They don’t cast too much of a shadow (especially in rooms with access to natural lighting) and they’re neutral so they go with most other colours.

SPEND A LITTLE EXTRA ON GOOD QUALITY FLOORING

Floors are the biggest victim of wear and tear in any property because they receive the most physical contact, and that’s why I always spend a little extra on thick and durable carpets that can withstand heavy treading and toxic carpet shampoos. Carpet retailers should be able to advice you on which particular carpets are suitable for BTL properties.

There are mixed feelings towards laminate flooring. Some find them durable and long-lasting (which they can be), but they’re also prone to malfunctioning. For example, if they get wet/moist, they expand, and that can cause problems. This frequently happens in the winter due to the moisture in the air, but also, most people clean laminate flooring with a wet-mop, which is a recipe for disaster.

BUDGET/DECORATE FOR YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

If your property is going to realistically achieve £500 pcm, don’t spend £20,000 on redecorating because you’ll NEVER recoup your money in your lifetime. Budget with your audience in mind. If your property is achieving £500 per month, then you’re going to get £500 pcm tenants- they won’t be expecting much in terms of decor, and they definitely won’t be expecting high-end fittings. They’ll most likely expect 4 black walls, a urine-bucket, and some cockroaches.
However if you’re trying to sell a 3-4 bedroom house, you should be targeting the family market. Decorate/renovate with your target audience in mind; consider what they will need/want as a family. Don’t try to please several demographics, you will fail by wasting time and money. However, sticking to a neutral theme will ensure maximum appeal.

EXTENDED WARRANTIES & INSURANCE

Extended warranties can often be worth it for landlords. Assuming that the price is right. The warranty guarantees a product replacement service if any faults occur. Worth it.

KEEP ALL YOUR RECEIPTS

Keep receipts for every purchase, even for a 99p pack of nails. Every penny spent on redecorating can be offset against your tax bill.

DON’T GET PERSONAL WITH YOUR TASTE

This is like the golden rule when it comes to decorating/renovating a rental property, but landlords seem to love breaking it.

YOU will NOT be living in the property. Every “personal touch” you add to your property is a potential repellent to tenants. Try to keep everything neutral, so your tenants can apply their own touch. It’s a lot easier to transform a blank canvas into a home than converting someone else’s home, and tenants will consider that when viewing your property.

AVOID CHEAP BATHROOM FITTINGS

It’s ok to cut costs in some areas when it comes to renovating a BTL property, but through years of experience, we’ve discovered that bathroom fittings is not one of them. Cheap and flimsy taps are definitely a false economy, especially when you consider the labour costs to get them fitted.
Good, solid taps should last forever, and they can be reused and refitted to most sinks.

BUY TILES & PAINT IN EXCESS

Buy a little extra when it comes to paint, tiles and laminate flooring, and store them in the property’s loft (if it has one). This will allow for easy touch-ups/replacements, and it becomes easier to purchase more of the exact same product. It’s amazing how many shades of the same colour there are, and to make it worse, every brand has its own unique tint.

SPEND MONEY WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE SPENT

This lesson is usually learnt through personal experience, because most first-time landlords WILL spend as little as possible, no matter what anyone tells them.

There are certain areas where it doesn’t make practical sense to cut costs because you’ll end up spending more in the long-run. I’ve already mentioned a few, but here are the areas I usually spend a little extra on (i.e. don’t get the cheapest solution):

• Carpets/flooring
• Paint. I try to get specialised paint for specific areas e.g. anti-moult paint for bathrooms. Also, you’ll notice the difference in longevity when it comes to a brand name like Dulex and a retailer’s cheaper alternative brand.
• Door locks. It’s particularly important to change the barrel between tenancies, especially if the relationship ended badly
• Bathroom fittings
• If there’s any anti-mould alternative for a product, I usually opt for it
• Where appropriate, use tiles instead of paint

CALL IN THE PROFESSIONALS WHEN REQUIRED

If a task is out of your skill-set and isn’t realistically acquirable, then get someone qualified in. It will usually work out cheaper than rectifying your bodge-job anyways.

GAS SAFE REGISTERED ENGINEER

Any gas/plumbing work in a BTL property MUST be completed by a Gas Safe registered engineer. That’s the law.

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