Do landlords have to redecorate or repaint between tenancies?

In England and across Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, repainting between tenants is usually a condition-and-deposit question, not a fixed statutory timetable. The legal duties are different from the practical expectation that a rental home should be clean, safe and lettable.

Do landlords have to redecorate or repaint between tenants?

No UK nation makes a landlord redecorate or repaint between tenancies, and where a statutory or default “reasonable decorative order” duty exists at all, it falls on the tenant or contract-holder, not the landlord. In England, Shelter says: “There are no rules about how often a private landlord should redecorate,” and the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 repairing covenant is for “the structure and exterior of the dwelling-house,” while Shelter Legal adds that “Decorations and fittings, such as mirrors or blinds, are not.” Wales uses the same structure-and-exterior repair model, but its default supplementary term says the contract-holder must “keep the dwelling in a state of reasonable decorative order”; that term can be modified or left out when the occupation contract is created. Scotland’s repairing standard guidance says it “does not extend to internal decoration.” Northern Ireland is the clearest: the tenant “shall keep the interior of the dwelling-house in reasonable decorative order,” although landlords must keep exterior paintwork in reasonable order.

How often should a landlord redecorate a rental property?

A practical benchmark is about every 3–5 years for paint and wallpaper, because TDS says “the lifespan of paint and wallpaper in a property is typically around 3-5 years,” but no UK nation sets a legal redecoration interval for landlords. That means “how often should a landlord decorate” is mainly a fair-wear-and-tear, presentation and deposit-evidence question: older décor is harder to charge to a tenant, while fresh decoration can help justify the condition expected at check-in. The cost matters because the English Private Landlord Survey 2024 recorded more rent-raising landlords citing renovation or redecoration costs, rising “from 18% to 23%,” and Checkatrade gives £450 as the average cost to paint a medium-sized room. Abodient can keep dated check-in photos, tenancy documents and deposit scheme details against the relevant letting period, which matters because the age and condition of decoration decide whether a repaint is routine wear or a tenant-caused loss.

Last reviewed August 2026.

Sources

• Shelter England, landlord responsibilities for improvements — “There are no rules about how often a private landlord should redecorate.” Source
• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 s.11 — “(a)to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling-house (including drains, gutters and external pipes),” Source
• Shelter Legal, repairs under section 11 — “Decorations and fittings, such as mirrors or blinds, are not.” Source
• Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 s.92 — “(a)keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling (including drains, gutters and external pipes), and” Source
• Occupation Contracts (Supplementary Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2022 reg.13 — “(c)keep the dwelling in a state of reasonable decorative order, and” Source
• Occupation Contracts (Supplementary Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2022 explanatory note — “However, at the creation of the occupation contract, the parties may agree that a supplementary provision is modified or that it is not included in the occupation contract.” Source
• Scottish Government, Repairing Standard statutory guidance for private landlords — “It focuses mainly on the building itself, and does not extend to internal decoration, furniture and household appliances.” Source
• Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 s.14 — “The duty imposed by subsection (1) includes a duty to make good any damage caused by carrying out any work for the purposes of complying with the duty in that subsection.” Source
• Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 art.8 — “(c)shall keep the interior of the dwelling-house in reasonable decorative order; and” Source
• Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 art.7 — “The duty imposed by paragraph (1)(a) includes a duty to keep exterior paintwork in reasonable order.” Source
• Tenancy Deposit Scheme, product lifespans in rented homes — “Similarly, when it comes to decorations, the lifespan of paint and wallpaper in a property is typically around 3-5 years.” Source
• English Private Landlord Survey 2024 main report — “Additionally, compared to 2021, a higher proportion of landlords who increased rents mentioned recent tax changes (from 13% to 18%), to recover costs from renovation or redecoration (from 18% to 23%) and to recover costs from licensing (from 5% to 7%).” Source
• Checkatrade, painter and decorator prices — “The average cost to paint a medium-sized room (18m²) is £450” Source