A prospective new tenant wants to repaint the entire apartment a softer color. it is presently all white,

They will do it at their own expense, however I would want it returned to the original color when they move out.

Should I get and additional deposit and signed addendum stating these terms. How much of a deposit.

thank you very much

Is it super-high end? If so, I'd consider it as an upgrade for a flat fee of $x/rm. That covers the cost of your painter, your paint. If you didn't plan on keeping it their preferred color, it might also pay towards the cost of putting it back the way it was. But you'd control every bit of the work. If they balk at the price-- I'd expect it to be at least $500/rm at my local rates-- then it becomes a no.

If it's an ordinary tenant, in an ordinary apartment, then no. If they want something in their favorite personal color, then they can buy their own home and paint. In the meantime, the house color stays your neutral color, and they can personalize/accessorize with curtains, pillows, rugs, etc.

DO NOT DO IT. All tenants want to paint, most don't know how. But even if they are professional painters, they are not going to do the job to your satisfaction TWICE. It will never happen.

Do you, or anyone here, know what it takes to do a "good" paint job. The the best or most expensive, but a "real good job"?

If you don't know, then how will your tenant? Even if you employ a professional painter, they are out to make a buck and not do a tip top job.

The knowledge, material, paint quality, brushes or rollers make a BIG DIFFERENCE. But what is most important is preparing the surface. For example:

a) vacuuming the walls and ceilings.

b) Using TSP a mop and a double bucket to chemically clean the surfaces.

c) filling any holes, sanding and priming.

Did you know that not all paints will bone to older paints. You need to use a bonding primer.

I had purchased a 5 unit that would have been worth $400,000, but the old painter used cheep labor and paint and all of the walls began peeling. So the City ordered the old owners to temporally re-house all of this tenants so the old paint could be remediated. The estimate was over $100,000.

If a prospect says that the rental is in any way not how they would like it - if they point out anything they think is a defect - they are disqualified.

If you give them what they want, hey would continue to want you to accommodate their "wants" the whole time they are there. They will be demanding and unhappy / complaining.

If you say "no", but they still move in, they will feel like they "settled" for less than they really wanted, and will complain & be unhappy there.

My property is well-maintained & sparkling clean. What you see is what you get.

If they will pay for it I will have my painter paint it. By the way, go ahead and collect double the paint cost up front so you have the money to return it back to original when they move out.

No. Allowed it a few times over the last 25 years. It never turned out well.

Paint on woodwork, cover plate, ceiling, flooring.....

No. Allowed it a few times over the last 25 years. It never turned out well.

Paint on woodwork, cover plate, ceiling, flooring.....

Everyone thinks they can paint, and they can't. The last house I had painted by a professional painter cost over two grand and he was there for three days doing a correct job.

I do not find it acceptable to slap paint on everything including the carpet, get roller slaps on the ceiling, and paint over the light switch covers. That is what you get from a tenant who hasn't even heard of masking or wall preparation.

NOPE.

I had one tenant (prospect at the time) ask during the viewing (I think it was then, it may have been when we were signing the lease) if he could paint the apartment. I LITERALLY just finished painting the entire apartment (it was a grey with white trim unless a room had natural woodwork - I left that). Anyway, I told him no then said "why?"

His response was "because I don't like purple". I looked at his girlfriend and said "ummm ... that's not purple, it's grey and no, you cannot paint it".

Fast forward about a year and he must have done something to one of the walls and went to patch it... he used purple paint (it was small but it stood out). I noticed it as I was walking out of the apartment one day. I turned around and said "see? not purple paint" and smiled.

When they moved out it was the same color again LOL.

Anyway, I would understand 'more' if the paint was older or faded or dirty (and no, you shouldn't be renting those) but it seems many just feel they can paint (and like the others stated ... it seems they cannot paint at all). Paint gets EVERYWHERE... floors, windows, molding, ceilings, etc. Plus, I had a girl that painted during the 2020/2021 timeframe (mainly because I think she knew we weren't walking in unless we HAD TO at that time) and when she moved out I was like "what in the world did you do"... she painted HORRIBLE colors (I'm talking forest green, dark red and then did this "fanning on the ceiling and around the lights" with the brush from the wall paint.

The apartment was totally painted a neutral color before she moved in and we had to repaint the entire apartment after.

Not only do I not allow them to paint any longer, if they are adamant about it I make sure they know what will happen if they paint without permission.