Whether you own or rent your Gainesville home, we all aim to feel relaxed in our living space. For many, this integrates adding decorative elements that are helpful in personalizing a home. However, as a renter, your decorating can have a considerable effect on how much of your security deposit you regain. Many leases clearly explain in no uncertain terms what types of changes you, the tenant, can make and what you would need permission from your landlord to do.
Thus if things aren’t really that straightforward, you may get quite confused about where the line is between what’s allowed and what isn’t. And if you aren’t sure, you may, mistakenly do something that might mean getting less of your security deposit back than you wish. Let’s review a few common décor items that could cost you – and how to avoid being charged for repairs.
Interior Paint
It’s the number one question renters ask: Can I paint the interior of my rental house? And it really does make sense as to why this is such a frequent problem. Changing the paint color is one of the most usual approaches to personalize a room or entire home. But in fact, except in the case that your lease precisely states that you can paint your rental house, bear in mind to get in touch with and ask your landlord first.
Usually, most leases state that you should return the home to its original condition. Even if it doesn’t mention paint anywhere else within the lease, it’s crucial to state that this includes the paint color on the walls. Your landlord can legally withhold funds from your security deposit to repaint the house if you’ve changed the wall colors and don’t put it back before you vacate.
Wall Damage
Another most crucial reason renters don’t acquire their entire security deposit back is holes (or other damage) in the walls. Once you decorate your home, you may not be thinking of how your landlord will actually react to the damage left after putting up framed artwork, mounted televisions, or other wall-mounted décor items. Even when there are just a few nail holes in a wall, this can cause a security deposit deduction, and the cost of repairs goes up the bigger the holes that are left behind.
To keep away from losing your deposit, try planning your décor with the end in mind. Put to use nail-free hangers, or refrain from hanging things on the walls at all. Large artwork or televisions can work just as nice on an accent table or cabinet and won’t leave wall damage behind.
Floor Damage
One last thing, be careful to protect your floors as you decorate. Heavy furniture and other stuff can gouge, scrape, and otherwise damage floorings like wood or laminate, and crack or break the tile. If you have enormous items you need to keep in your home, have some people help you move them, and use protective material, like a blanket or moving pad, underneath to keep floor damage to a minimum. If you constantly move your furniture around, think about buying some felt padding for the bottom of your furniture to make rearranging your décor easier and not likely to cause damage.
However way you decorate your rental home, it’s critical to treat it with a clear mindset that, after some time, you will likely be moving out. In the case that day comes, the less you need to do to restore the home to its original condition, the more likely you will be to get your full security deposit back.
Is moving to a new rental home on your to-do list this year? Real Property Management Diversified could have the best one for you! Assuredly, 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.
