Can My Landlord Make Me Pay for Decorating?

In most private tenancies, decorating is the landlord's responsibility unless your tenancy agreement specifically states otherwise. Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the landlord must maintain the structure and exterior of the property, but internal decoration is not explicitly covered by Section 11.

However, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires the property to be fit for habitation throughout the tenancy. If peeling paint, damp-stained walls, or severely deteriorated decoration makes the property unfit, the landlord has a duty to address it.

In practice, most tenancy agreements say the tenant must not redecorate without the landlord's written consent and must return the property in its original decorative condition. This does not mean you have to repaint at the end of every tenancy; it means you should not cause damage beyond fair wear and tear.

Your landlord cannot charge you for the natural ageing of decoration. Fair wear and tear for decorating includes:

• Paint fading or yellowing over time (especially in sunny rooms)
• Small scuffs around door handles, light switches, and skirting boards
• Pin holes from hanging pictures (a few small holes are generally accepted)
• Slight marks on walls from furniture placement

What might justify a deduction:

• Large holes in walls from shelving or TV brackets without consent
• Crayon, marker, or pen marks on walls
• Significant staining (e.g. nicotine staining from smoking indoors)
• Painting walls a different colour without permission
• Wallpaper removal or damage

The longer you have lived in the property, the more wear is expected. A landlord cannot charge the full cost of repainting a room that was last decorated five years ago; they must apply a betterment reduction to account for the age and condition of the existing decoration.

Betterment is a critical concept when challenging decorating deductions. The principle is that the landlord should not profit from your deposit by getting a brand-new decoration paid for by you when the existing decoration was already old.

For example:

• If the walls were last painted 4 years ago and the expected lifespan of internal paint is 5 years, the paint was already 80% through its useful life when you moved out
• Even if you caused some damage, the landlord can only charge you for the remaining 20% of the value
• The landlord should provide evidence of the original decoration date and the cost of redecoration

Deposit scheme adjudicators consistently apply betterment in their decisions. If your landlord claims the full cost of redecorating a room that was already due for redecoration, challenge this through the deposit scheme's dispute resolution process.

To avoid decorating disputes at the end of your tenancy:

• Document the condition at check-in: Take close-up photos of walls, ceilings, and any existing marks or damage.
• Get permission for changes: If you want to paint, hang shelves, or make other changes, get written consent from your landlord first.
• Restore to original: If you painted walls a different colour, consider repainting to the original shade before moving out.
• Fill small holes: Use filler to patch any nail or screw holes before the check-out inspection.
• Keep the inventory: This is your primary evidence for disputing unfair charges.

Use our property check tool to document the condition of a property before you commit to renting it.