1. Purpose
This policy explains when you need our permission to decorate, alter or fix things in your home, how to ask, and what happens at the end of the tenancy. It works alongside your tenancy agreement and does not affect your statutory rights.
2. Painting and Decoration
- We do not normally approve decoration in the first 12 months of a tenancy.
- After 12 months, any painting, wallpapering or similar work needs our prior written consent.
- Where consent is given, only the existing colours on the property are approved. Please match them like for like. A different colour is a breach of this policy.
- All approved work must be finished to a professional standard.
- If unauthorised or poor-quality decoration is carried out, we will write to you explaining what needs to be put right and allow a reasonable time, normally 6 to 8 weeks, to do it yourself.
- If it is not put right, we may arrange the work and recover the reasonable, evidenced cost from your tenancy deposit, or by a claim if the cost is higher. We do not ask for payment in advance.
3. General Alterations
- Please do not puncture or damage walls, partitions, ceilings, floors or timbers without our prior written consent.
- No structural or non-structural alterations, installations or changes to fixtures and fittings may be made without consent.
- Consent may come with reasonable conditions at your own expense, such as using qualified tradespeople or restoring the property at the end of the tenancy.
- To ask, download the alterations request form at the bottom of this page, complete it and email it to maintenance@rentukproperty.com. Please give as much detail as you can. We will reply in writing and give our reasons if we refuse.
4. Fixing Items and Aerials
- Please do not fix items to walls, internally or externally, with glue, nails, picture hooks, tape or other adhesive without our prior written consent.
- Aerials, satellite dishes, notices, signs and boards need our prior written consent, which we will not unreasonably withhold. Approved work is at your cost, and you must make good any damage from installing or removing it.
- Approved fixings must be removed at the end of the tenancy, with holes filled and walls restored.
5. Adaptations for Disability
If you or someone in your household is disabled and needs an adaptation, such as grab rails or a ramp, please tell us. We will consider each request under the Equality Act 2010 and will not unreasonably refuse consent. We will tell you what we need from you.
6. Breach and End of Tenancy
- Alterations made without written consent are a breach of this policy.
- Where you cannot show written consent, we will first allow 6 to 8 weeks to restore the property yourself.
- At the end of the tenancy we compare the property with the check-in inventory and photographs. The reasonable, evidenced cost of restoring any alteration, allowing for fair wear and tear and without charging for improvement, may be deducted from the deposit under the deposit scheme’s process. If the cost is more than the deposit, we may claim the balance.
- We do not charge administration fees for considering a request or for dealing with a breach.
7. Acknowledgement
Your tenancy agreement contains clauses on alterations. This policy explains them and sets out how to ask.
