Whether you own or rent your Mill Creek home, we’d like our living space to feel pleasant. For a lot of people, this means adding decorative elements that would personalize a home. However, if you are a renter, decorating may have a detrimental effect on your security deposit. A lot of leases have a list of the kind of changes you, the tenant, can make as well as what you would need permission from your landlord to do.
But if some aspects aren’t totally clear, you may wonder exactly where the line is between what’s allowed and what isn’t. And if you’re not sure, you may be doing something unknowingly that could get less of your security deposit back than you want. Here are some common décor items that would cost you – and how to avoid being charged for repairs.
Interior Paint
This is the number one question renters ask: Can I paint the interior of my rental house? This is a common question, and it totally makes sense to ask! Changing the paint color is an easy way to personalize a room or the entire home. But just be sure to check with your landlord first if your lease specifically states that you can paint your rental house,
The majority of leases state that you should return the home to its original condition. Even though it does not say paint in any section of the lease, it’s essential to understand that this includes the paint color on the walls. Your landlord is able to legally withhold funds from your security deposit to repaint the house if you have remade the wall colors and return it to its original state before you leave.
Wall Damage
Another huge reason renters don’t get their entire security deposit back is due to holes (or other damage) in the walls. When you change up your home, you may not be considering how your landlord would feel about the damage left after installing framed artwork, mounted televisions, or other wall-mounted décor items. Even just having a few nail holes in a wall can cause a security deposit deduction, and the cost of repairs increases depending on the size of the holes that are left behind.
To refrain from losing your deposit, try planning your décor while taking into consideration what’s going to happen after you’re done renting. Select nail-free hangers or just don’t hang anything on the walls. Large artwork or televisions can be aesthetically pleasing on top of an accent table or cabinet, plus it won’t leave any wall damage behind.
Floor Damage
Finally, be sure to safeguard your floors as you decorate. Heavy furniture and other things could gouge, scrape, and otherwise damage floorings like wood or laminate, and crack or break the tile. If you have massive things you need to keep in your home, have somebody else help you move them and place protective material, like a blanket or moving pad, underneath so that you will have less floor damage. If you think you would move your furniture around often, consider purchasing some felt padding for the bottom of your furniture to make rearranging your décor easier and less likely to cause damage.
Regardless of how you decorate your rental home, it’s important to consider that, at some point, you will be moving out. And when that happens, the less you need to do to restore the home to its original condition, the more likely you will get your full security deposit back.
Is moving to a new rental home on your to-do list this year? Real Property Management Eclipse has the perfect one for you! We have quality rental homes for every taste and budget, so check out our listings today.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
