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Report maintenance Bristol rental property – Make your rental house a home
Whether you’re renting for the short or long term, it can be pretty bleak to look at the walls and decoration and feel unhappy with your surroundings. Our experts have some tips and tricks to turn your Bristol rental property into a home, without getting on the wrong side of your landlord or tenancy agreement!
Pre-tenancy considerations: Furnished or Unfurnished?
It often feels tempting to go for a furnished option, you don’t have to fork out for a bed, sofas, dining tables…the list goes on. However, furnishing a home is much more cost-effective than it used to be. If you’re low on budget but would prefer to start your own furniture collection, you can look at local buy-and-sell sites like Gumtree to find some bargains. And, as always, you can find most staple pieces at a fairly affordable price in Ikea.
Unfurnished properties tend to be decorated in a more neutral way, so you have more scope to make it your own with decorative pieces and furniture choices. But, if you’re going for a furnished option whether due to needing a shorter tenancy or it being a student let, fear not. Keep reading for ideas on how to inject some personality without a lick of paint.
Firstly: Communicate with your landlord or lettings agency
Most rental agreements have rules in place and you should not carry out alterations to the property without your landlord’s permission. However, many landlords are quite happy for long-term tenants to replace things like curtains and light fittings providing they are replaced with the original fittings when you move out.
Some landlords are happy for you to paint rooms a different colour, especially if it improves the overall look of the property or the colour you use remains neutral for future tenants – but always get permission before cracking open the tins and brushes!
Storage
If you need extra storage but your landlord doesn’t want you to drill into the walls, you can work around it.
There are plenty of freestanding storage units like bookshelves, TV units and even coffee tables with drawers for the living area. For your bedroom, you could add a blanket box or trunk. Any local or national DIY/homewares store will have a multitude of storage solutions, so if you’re a keen shopper, take a day out to explore and find your best option.
Artwork, Wall Hangings, Mirrors, and Stickers
If the property has existing picture hooks, get some artwork or wall hangings to personalise the space – just be wary of heavy items! This can be a great opportunity to visit markets and different areas of Bristol – finding cool pieces that local artists have created can also help you feel more like you belong in your new area, and supports the local community.
A great way to liven up plain walls is to apply removable wall stickers which can be easily removed at the end of your tenancy without leaving a mark on the walls.
