Pre-Tenancy Decorating Checklist for London Landlords

Why pre-tenancy decoration is worth doing properly

The condition of a rental property at the start of a tenancy determines what you can reasonably expect to recover at the end of it. Under the Tenancy Deposit Scheme's adjudication framework, a landlord cannot charge for dilapidations that existed before the tenancy began — a fact that makes a detailed pre-tenancy inventory, and a property in genuinely good decorative order, the foundation of any damage recovery claim. A poorly decorated property at check-in is a poorly defended one at check-out.

Beyond the legal dimension, a well-presented property rents faster and to better tenants. In the current London rental market, professionally decorated properties photograph better, generate more viewings and typically let within one to two weeks of listing. The cost of a four-day decorator void is almost invariably recovered in reduced vacancy.

The pre-tenancy inspection: what to look for

Before engaging a decorator, conduct a systematic inspection by room. Use the following as your checklist:

Walls and ceilings

Scuff marks, handprints and smears. Small areas can be spot-cleaned with a damp cloth; if Dulux Diamond Matt was used as the wall finish, mild cleaning will not mark it. If standard vinyl matt was used, cleaning typically spreads the mark rather than removing it.
Crayon, biro or marker. These need a stain-blocking primer (Zinsser BIN or Bulls Eye 1-2-3) spot-applied before any repaint, or the stain will bleed through the new coat.
Nail holes and picture hooks. Fill with a fine filler (Polycell Fine Surface Filler), sand flush, prime spot, repaint. A room with twenty filled holes that have not been primed will show ghost circles through the new emulsion within months.
Ceiling stains from leaks. Do not simply repaint without establishing that the source of moisture has been addressed. A dry but stained ceiling should be treated with Zinsser BIN (shellac-based) or Zinsser Watertite before repainting — standard emulsion will not block old water stains.
Mould. Black mould on ceilings or external walls needs treatment, not concealment. Kill with a diluted biocide (Ronseal Mould Killer), allow to dry, then apply a mould-resistant primer before repainting with a mould-inhibiting emulsion.

Woodwork (skirtings, architraves, doors, window boards)

Chips and knocks. Fill with a fine filler, sand flush, spot-prime with Zinsser BIN or a comparable shellac primer, then repaint with satinwood.
Paint sheen consistency. Satinwood is the standard rental finish; if previous works have used a mix of gloss and satinwood on different doors or skirtings in the same room, the variation reads as unfinished. Standardise on one product.
Door edges and tops. Frequently missed. Dirty door tops and unpainted door edges fail check-out inspections.

Kitchen and bathroom

Tile grout. Stained grout is not a decorating issue but it affects the visual impression significantly. Clean or re-grout before the new tenancy.
Kitchen cupboard fronts. If the finish is degrading (delaminating, chipped, swelling), consider whether a full respray by a specialist kitchen painter is the right investment versus continuing to patch.
Bathroom ceiling. High-moisture environments need a mould-resistant ceiling paint. Dulux Trade Diamond Matt is scrubbable and moisture-tolerant; Johnstone's Bathroom & Kitchen is formulated specifically for this environment.

Communal areas (if applicable)

Managing agents will often inspect communal areas as part of their check-in report. Hallways, stairwells and landings that form part of the demised lease should be in the same standard as the flat interior.

The neutral specification: what to use

The London rental market responds to neutral, light-reflecting interiors that photograph well and appeal across demographic groups. The specification below is broadly accepted by most managing agents across central and inner London:

Walls: Dulux Trade Diamond Matt, Antique White (or similar warm near-white). Diamond Matt is the preferred choice because it is genuinely scrubbable — not merely described as washable — and resists marking in high-traffic areas.
Ceilings: Dulux Trade Diamond Matt, Pure Brilliant White.
Woodwork (all): Dulux Trade Quick-Dry Satinwood, Brilliant White. Re-coatable in four hours, suitable for rapid void programmes.
Kitchen and bathroom walls: As above (Diamond Matt). Do not use silk emulsion in bathrooms — it is less moisture-resistant than it appears and tends to show water streaks.
Front door (if applicable): A fresh coat of satinwood or gloss. The front door is the first thing a prospective tenant sees; a chipped or faded door creates an immediate negative impression.

Managing agents' typical requirements

Most London managing agents have a cosmetic standard they apply at check-out. The two most common triggers for a compulsory full redecoration requirement are:

The current decoration is more than five to seven years old, regardless of condition.
The inventory check-out records decorative deterioration beyond fair wear and tear.

Knowing your agent's standard before a tenancy ends allows you to plan void works proactively rather than reactively. Ask your agent for their redecoration policy in writing — most have one, and knowing it means no surprises at check-out.

Timing and managing the void

Most London flat voids run to between two and four weeks. A realistic programme for a two-bedroom flat in good-to-fair condition:

Day 1: Strip all furniture from rooms (if landlord-furnished), inspect, fill, prime stains and holes.
Day 2: First coat walls and ceilings.
Day 3: Second coat walls and ceilings, first coat woodwork.
Day 4: Second coat woodwork, touch-ups, clear up.

Allow a day for the paint to fully harden before the tenant's removal team arrives — freshly painted surfaces can be marked by contact with furniture within the first 24 hours.

Get a pre-tenancy quote

Whether you need a full void repaint or a targeted patch-and-touch programme, we work with landlords and managing agents across London to turn properties around on time and to the specification your agent requires. Request a free quote and we will inspect and quote within 24 hours.