Last updated: 7 October 2026
The aim between tenancies is a clean, neutral and hard-wearing property that can be re-let quickly. You don't need to redecorate everything every time, but knowing what to prioritise saves money and avoids long gaps. This guide is about the decorating side of a turnaround. It isn't legal advice, so check your own obligations and current guidance on deposits and condition.
Start with a walk-through
Go through the property room by room with a notebook and a phone, and take dated photos. Note marks on walls and ceilings, scuffed woodwork, stains, holes from shelves and brackets, signs of damp or mould and anything that needs repair before decorating. This list becomes the brief for the decorator, and the photos help if there's a dispute about the condition of the property.
Walls and ceilings
Marked or patched walls are the most common job. Spot-painting small marks often shows, because new paint rarely matches old, so it's usually better to repaint a whole wall or whole room. Strong colours left by a previous tenant usually need extra coats. Ceilings stained by smoke or leaks need a stain-blocking primer first, and any leak should be found and fixed before painting.
Woodwork and doors
Skirting boards, door frames and doors take scuffs and knocks, and they're the first places a property looks tired. A hard-wearing finish, such as satin or eggshell on woodwork, wipes clean easily and lasts well. Filling dents and sanding before repainting makes a bigger difference than the paint does.
Kitchens and bathrooms
Look for grease, steam damage and mould. A good clean, a moisture-resistant or anti-mould paint in bathrooms and attention to ventilation will do more than repainting over the top. Damp or mould that keeps coming back is a problem to investigate, not decorate over. Check the sealant and grout too, because they affect how the room looks and how long a fresh finish lasts.
Choosing colours and finishes
Neutral, light colours appeal to the widest range of tenants and make it easier to touch up later. Use hard-wearing, washable finishes on hallways, stairs and kitchens, where marks collect. Keep a note of the paint colours and finishes used in each property, so future touch-ups match, and consider using the same palette across a portfolio.
Repairs to do before painting
Fill nail holes and larger holes from shelves and TV brackets, repair cracks, re-fix loose sealant and sort any damp, leaks or loose plaster first. Painting over a problem hides it for a while, and it comes back, usually just after the new tenant has moved in.
Wear and tear and deposits
What counts as fair wear and tear, and what a tenant should pay for, can be disputed. Clear records help: an inventory, dated photos at the start and end of the tenancy, and receipts or quotes for work. This guide can't tell you what you can claim, so check current guidance for your situation.
Timing and turnaround
Every empty week costs rent, so plan the decorating as part of the turnaround. Book the work as early as you can, ideally before the tenancy ends, and make sure the property is clear and accessible on the day. An empty property is quicker to decorate than an occupied one, and a clear written quote with timings lets you plan the changeover.
Managing several properties
If you have a portfolio, standardise what you can: one colour scheme, one set of finishes, one record of what's been used. Agree how work is booked, how access is arranged and how invoices are handled, so each turnaround is quick and consistent. It's worth telling the decorator about the portfolio up front, because that can shape how the work is scheduled.
Planning a turnaround? Use the quote form to tell us about the property and when it's free, and attach photos if you can. We'll come back with a free written quote with timings, so you can plan the changeover.
