Painting the gaff?!

you wha?

So ive been living in a nice apartment for about 4 years and they management company that oversee my complex are grand. The thing is, majority of the walls in the apartment are grubby and they are wrecking my head. should the landlord do this or should i ask for paint and do it myself or would i have to pay???!!! totally clueless i am! :P

Sir Arthur Daley

Did you ever raise the issue in any residents meetings?

quadrifoglio verde

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Did you ever raise the issue in any residents meetings?

The management company wouldn't be responsible for the internal walls of the apartment, common areas only.
Op I'd say it to the landlord. Some will say yes no problem paint away, others will tell you what colours you can paint it (you can probably forget about luminous pink) and others would arrange for their own painter to go in.
Technically it is the landlords responsibility, however if I was paying a decent bit below market rate I wouldn't be rocking the boat.

Dredd_J

Ask the LL to paint it, but he might decide that since he is doing the place up a bit its worth more rent.

makeorbrake

you wha? wrote: »

The thing is, majority of the walls in the apartment are grubby and they are wrecking my head. should the landlord do this or should i ask for paint and do it myself or would i have to pay???!!! totally clueless i am! :P

Were the walls grubby upon moving in or have they become grubby since then?
If the former, was there any conversation with the LL on the subject at the time?

you wha?

makeorbrake wrote: »

Were the walls grubby upon moving in or have they become grubby since then?
If the former, was there any conversation with the LL on the subject at the time?

they werent immacualte when i moved in and theres been problems since with the carpet etc. i might ask for a new carpet and ask can i paint myself so then it doesnt look like im asking for too much lol

makeorbrake

you wha? wrote: »

they werent immacualte when i moved in

I know hindsight is a wonderful thing and all that but I guess this was something that was better raised from the outset?

you wha? wrote: »

theres been problems since with the carpet etc. i might ask for a new carpet

wear and tear or something beyond wear and tear?

ted1

Little bit of sugar soap on a bucket of warm water and a sponge.

Hey presto that walls are like new. Just like cleaning the tiles the tenants should keep the place clean.

MouseTail

ted1 wrote: »

Little bit of sugar soap on a bucket of warm water and a sponge.

Hey presto that walls are like new. Just like cleaning the tiles the tenants should keep the place clean.

In fairness, after 4 years the walls will need a paint, particularly in high use areas.

I think its a reasonable request.

rasgav

Suggest that LL buy the paint and you do the painting.. a win-win situation and any half intelligent LL should be happy with that arrangement.

Santa Cruz

rasgav wrote: »

Suggest that LL buy the paint and you do the painting.. a win-win situation and any half intelligent LL should be happy with that arrangement.

Fair arrangement especially if you have good relationship with the landlord. Four years rents without hassle of changing tenants is a a great deal for the landlord.

fash

rasgav wrote: »

Suggest that LL buy the paint and you do the painting.. a win-win situation and any half intelligent LL should be happy with that arrangement.

That assumes the tenant can paint. As landlords we've had multiple tenants paint the property- without permission- because we would never give permission.
It is invariably an appalling job- even by those who claim to work in the construction industry- painting doors with wall paint, using really rough rollers only- no brushes so the surface must be sanded after, painting light sockets, skirting boards ( usually half painting them only as the roller with wall paint can't go lower without painting the floor, window boards, window frames, plug sockets, fire alarms, heaters, escutcheons and the plastic "escutcheons" on the lights.
There is also a spray of paint drops on the floor.

A combination of ignorant tenants who don't know how to paint and are unwilling to spend the money to get the materials to prep and properly paint an area and are too lazy in any case to use anything other than extremely rough external grade rollers means it is a really terrible idea for any landlord to allow it.

ted1

MouseTail wrote: »

In fairness, after 4 years the walls will need a paint, particularly in high use areas.

I think its a reasonable request.

Do you paint your own house every 4. Years? I certainly don't, I do give them a wipe down every now and then and there still clean and fresh

you wha?

wear and tear or something beyond wear and tear?[/QUOTE]

There was a leak few years ago and they cleaned it but the steel bit that connects the carpet to the wooden floor in the hall is coming up and also a few months ago there was a moth infestation(EWWWW) and there are a few patches of the carpet missing!!! gonna pop down tomorrow and have a word with him and see what we can do

makeorbrake

you wha? wrote: »

There was a leak few years ago and they cleaned it but the steel bit that connects the carpet to the wooden floor in the hall is coming up

That sounds like his responsibility to me.

you wha? wrote: »

and also a few months ago there was a moth infestation(EWWWW) and there are a few patches of the carpet missing!!!

eww is right! Not sure how that should play out. What causes a moth infestation? Reminds me of a visit I paid to a buddy in Guildford some years ago. Was crashing on the floor for the weekend. Trouble was they had a mite infestation! It was hell!

ABajaninCork

We did this after five years in our house. Asked the LL if we could paint, he gave permission. We got the paint and he knocked the cost from the rent. Job done!

Didn't go mad with the colours - just painted in cream and magnolia. Guaranteed not to offend anyone!