Experiences of offering to 'spruce up' rental property

sarkozy

Has anyone rented a property and gained a landlord's permission to do it up, too?

Myself and the missus are looking for a place to rent in the South Dublin City area. We know what we're looking for, and have found a place in an ideal location but we feel the place needs 'modernising'.

We have expressed our interest to the agent and asked him to ask the landlord if we could gain permission to paint the place and make some minor improvements/changes. We believe this would raise the value of his place in the future and we would enjoy this place so much more. A win-win.

We offer to manage the make-over, taking the headache off the landlord's hands, and we ask for a rent reduction as well.

I am asking everyone here for their experiences and advice in this regard.

mikemac1

Are you going to charge the landlord for the paint and whatever you need plus time you'll spend on this?

Time isn't free so have you an estimate how long these tasks will take you?

subway

If the rent goes down then so does the value. Landlord would be stupid to lower the rent if he can get higher money with the place as is.

I'm sure he'll let you do it for free and potentially put the rent up next year if the value has actually increased...

sarkozy

We haven't moved in yet. We've asked first if the landlord would be amenable to that. Yes, I would expect we would ask him to pay for materials; labour may be a split between a well-priced professional for large rooms and myself painting smaller rooms.

mikemac1

Also you're doing this work upfront but you're not getting paid, you're asking for a rent reduction so it could be over twelve months before you get that value back. Your time is worth money

You seem aware and you seem to know what you're looking for but don't get taken advantage of
Lanlords would just love you to make over their property and increase the value

If you were renting a rural cottage it sounds a good idea
But you're renting in flatland, properties available all over the place

sarkozy

Sure. But not exactly where we're looking. We're specific about our area and are aware that this involves risks. We're thinking of how this 'offer' to the landlord to add value for him in the longer-term is in his interests and strengthens our case. Therefore, we expect to be fairly compensated for that.

The risk is that, since it's a March move-in date, something better comes on the market and we've signed. On the other hand, there's competition in this neighbourhood and we may not get a better deal in some time.

It's a tricky one, and the landlord may get back refusing permission to do it up.

Another concern is, should we remain there more than 12 months, it gives the landlord a case to increase the rent to its 'market value', pricing us out, which would not be fair, in which case might some contract clause mitigate that?

Victor

Most landlords would prefer to do this themselves.

The risk for them is you are going to paint everything lurid pink and green (in the same room) and replace all the fittings with junk.

Potentially you agree a lease for X time with a break option after Y time.

sarkozy

Sorry to be replying so quickly. We would ensure we engage fully with the landlord if possible and explain fully our intentions and show visual samples of the type of 'spruce-up' we're proposing. One advantage on our part is that the missus herself manages properties owned by her brother, both of which have been consistently rented out. That should mitigate concerns on the landlord's part.

Jesus Shaves

Done up the last rented property i lived in, every room except one
We had the landlords permission and regularly invited her around to view it.
When we moved out she tried to take up a case with the prtb against us for decorating the house.
It was written in the tenancy agreement that we weren't supposed to but she gave oral consent.
Moral of the story: Get it written into the tenancy agreement!