Approved applicant asking to paint before move in.

[Lois S.]

The rental market here has been very slow.  We slowly lowered the asking price for our duplex & finally found a couple who saw the unit & were enthusiastic about it. They were looking specifically for an older house. We approved their application, they came back one more time to see it & signed a holding deposit since move-in won't be for a few weeks.

Now I get an email asking if it would be possible to paint the unit before move in, & whether it was painted recently.

The paint is solid & clean, and it's all white.  

What would you do? Offer to let them pay for a painter?  Offer to just add an accent color wall?  

Any input would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[Nathan Gesner]

It depends. If they were an older, mature couple that's likely to be stable and low maintenance, I may allow them to do some painting. However, it would be at their cost and with my approval. I'm not against color, but I don't want a seafoam green bathroom or burgundy kitchen that has to be painted over when they move out.