There are no legal requirements that a landlord has to paint between each tenant. However, landlords are required to maintain a habitable living space (also called a warranty of habitability ) for their tenants.
It is recommended for landlords to paint every three to five years. However, this is just a general guideline as it can depend on the quality of paint, the tenant, and other factors. It is also important to check local laws and guidelines as areas do have specific requirements.
New York City requires landlords of occupied multiple-dwelling apartments to paint every three years.
It is important to look over your unit and make a checklist to determine if it is time to paint. Your list should include:
A professional paint job can last between 5 – 10 years . However, its lifespan directly correlates to a few important factors including:
Paint in a rental property can be damaged from the tenant, from a low – quality paint job, or due to the paints age. Complete a maintenance check of the property to determine if your rental has any of the following:
If your rental has any of the above, it’s time to paint.
You may not have to paint all areas of the unit. High-traffic areas like the kitchen will likely need to be painted more frequently than a closet. While you should check all areas of the property, if you need to save some money, you can potentially skip certain areas.
Don’t forget to check baseboards and ceilings.
If a property is vacant, your timeline may need to be adjusted.
You paint the interior of your property every 3 years. The current tenant had a 2-year lease and is moving out. But, they have a highly-qualified friend who wants to sign a 2-year lease, so you paint before the new tenant comes in.
It is much easier to paint in between tenants. A vacant house can help painters get done faster and avoid damage to tenant belongings. A new tenant will be pleased to have a freshly painted unit. In addition, if needed, you can photograph the apartment after the new paint job is complete to help you advertise your rental .
While there is no federal law that states that a landlord has to paint between tenants. Some areas do require landlords to paint within a specific time frame.
New York City requires landlords of occupied multiple-dwelling apartments to paint every three years.
Review your local laws to determine if your area has a similar requirement or if there are any other paint-related rules and ordinances.
For instance, landlords are required to notify tenants if there are lead-based paint hazards on the property. Although lead-based paint was banned in 1978, HUD estimates that 35% of homes in the U.S. still contain some lead-based paint . HUD and other state organizations offer grants to offset the costs of professionally removing lead-based paint.
If you live in a competitive rental market, there may be some incentive to paint more frequently. A freshly painted home complements a high-quality rental or can boost the appearance of an older home.
On the other hand, if you live in a more relaxed area, you can potentially go a little longer before painting.
If you have a great tenant or want to attract a new high-quality tenant, offering to paint the interior of the property is a great rent concession .
While a paint job can be a bit expensive on the front end, it can pay off in the long run. Getting and maintaining a great tenant that pays on time each month saves you from the expenses and time that come with frequent tenant turnover.
Typically, landlords are not required to paint their property in between tenants.
However, there are a few cities that have specific requirements about how frequently they need to paint.
Landlords should be sure to stay on top of all maintenance items, including painting, as waiting too long can end up costing more money down the line. It is a good idea to regularly complete property inspections and maintain a schedule for more expensive maintenance items such as painting.
The average cost to professionally paint an entire house’s interior ranges between $1,500 and $24,500 . However, painting the house yourself can cost as little as a few hundred dollars.
Obviously, the cost varies based on:
Check out the chart below for an average range of costs.
| Square footage | DIY | Professional |
| Small room (approx. 240 sq ft) | $150 – $300 | $480 – $1,440 |
| Medium room (approx. 480 sq ft) | $390 – $550 | $960 – $2,880 |
| Large room (approx. 880 sq ft) | $610 – $800 | $1,760 – $5,280 |
| Entire home (1,500 – 3,000 sq ft) | $1,500 – $3,000 | $4,500 – $21,000 |
The average room takes 6 to 10 hours to paint (prep work, painting, and clean up). For some, their time is more valuable than the cost of hiring a painter. Here are a few questions to consider when determining if you should hire a professional painter or DIY:
Before you make a final decision, get a few bids from local paint companies. They may have additional insight about which rooms need to be painted, special deals for landlords, and more.
Typically, landlords cannot charge renters for painting. However, if a tenant damaged the walls or broke the painting policy in the lease agreement, a tenant may be charged part of their security deposit.
Landlords can charge for the cost of materials and labor. However, you should also consider the age of the paint when it was damaged.
If the paint is less than one year old, it is ok to charge the full cost of replacement. However, if the paint was 4 years old, it is not reasonable to charge an extensive amount, unless there is a significant amount of damage.
Check out the chart below to determine an appropriate deduction for damaged paint:
| Age of paint at end of tenancy | Deduction for damaged paint |
| Less than 1 year | Full cost |
| 1 to 2 years | Half of cost |
| 2 to 3 years | 25% of cost |
| 4 years or longer | No deduction |
These time frames also should be adjusted based on the quality of paint used and its expected life.
The rules for individual leases vary. Some landlords may allow tenants to paint, while others do not. If you allow tenants to paint, here are some additional rules to consider:
Here are the paint selection criteria you should consider:
