Can a Tenant Paint a Rental Property in Fayetteville Managed by a Property Management Company?

A question we get a lot as property managers is whether a tenant can paint a rental property. In Fayetteville, the average tenant lifespan for renting a property is usually about 3 years, with some tenants under property management for a longer period. In Fayetteville, the vast majority of renters are usually military families, which makes the rental period a little shorter. Additionally, some of the issues landlords and property management companies face are unique to service members. While painting a rental property is a separate and distinct issue from things that impact your rental investment when renting to service members, Linchpin Property Management is skilled at handling both issues.

It may seem to not be much of a concern, as the tenant can simply paint it back to the previous color when moving out, there are some issues that should be noted.

The first issue is using the wrong materials to paint the property. If, for example, the home was painted with latex paint, if you use an oil-based paint over the latex paint, the paint will eventually peel. This issue may not present itself with the next tenant, but your property management company, or future tenants, will begin to notice that the paint is peeling, and as a result, the home will need to be repainted. The same holds true if you use a flat latex paint over a sheen such as a satin or semi-gloss enamel. In either scenario, once the paint starts to peel, it will have to be repainted.

Additionally, there is the issue of what technique is used when painting. While we tend to think you can just use a roller to paint walls, there is actually an art and skill to painting (pun intended). Many individuals simply do not have the knowledge, training, and experience to paint walls. How many times have you looked at a rental property and there was paint on the carpet and floors, on the baseboards, doors, or appliances? Not only is this unsightly, it also presents an issue with the value of your rental investment, or ultimately the resale.

At Linchpin Property Management, we suggest that all of our landlords include clauses in the lease agreement that address what improvements or alterations the tenant can make to a property, whether that particular improvement will remain with the rental property, and whether or not the improvement requires the landlord’s approval. These issues that commonly occur in Fayetteville, don’t usually raise their heads until the landlord or property management company has discovered them during the routine inspection process (you are doing quarterly inspections aren’t you?)

Prevention and planning are the best way to manage your property investment more effectively. As a landlord, you sometimes don’t have the time to inspect your property on a routine basis to ensure that the tenant is living in conformity with your lease. Most landlords believe that simply receiving their rental payments on time is enough, and soon find that event the tenant who has been there for 3 or more years has caused damage far exceeding their security deposit. This is especially true with landlords who are not geographically located with their properties.

If you have any questions about the best solution for your property management needs in Fayetteville and the surrounding area, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help.

The Team at Linchpin Property Management.