Lease Language To Make Tenants Pay To Refresh Paint

[Adah N.]

It is quite expensive to paint. About to spend $2500 for labor and materials to repaint a 1400 sqft townhouse. BTW this is a competitive deal  for my area. Yes, we self manage. No, we refuse to do any of the work.  

This will greatly deplete cash flow for those $200/door deals. Tenant (inherited) was in unit for 17 months, we have to repaint as most of the walls are badly stained. This got me thinking about adding a language to lease to deduct (from security deposit) costs related to repainting or refreshing. For example move within and up to 1 year tenant pays for 75% of cost to refresh  or repaint. Move after 3 years tenant pays 25% and 0% if they stay 4 or more years. Cost applies when tenant chooses not to renew or landlord terminates due to lease violation.

Anyone include language about repainting or refreshing paint in their lease? Thoughts?

[Nathan Gesner]

Tenants won't want to rent from you if they have to pay an extra $2,000 to refresh paint after living there for just one year.

You should have a good clause that says you will charge Tenants for anything beyond "ordinary wear-and-tear" on the rental. Good paint can easily last 7-10 years. If you had to repaint the townhouse after just 17 months, that shows the tenant abused the walls and they should pay a portion of the cost based on the remaining life. 

You said these were inherited tenants so you probably don't know what condition the walls were in before they occupied or how old the paint was. Maybe the paint was 12 years old and had been badly stained by someone five years ago?

Paint and start fresh. Hold tenants accountable for excessive wear-and-tear.