Landlords are being urged to be more open-minded to requests made by tenants in regards to home improvements.

The suggestion has come from the Association of Independent Inventory Clerks (AIIC) who claims that a growing number of private tenants increasingly want to personalise their rental homes.

This has been backed by recent research by Plentific which revealed that 73% of tenants carry out DIY jobs around the property at their own expense.

Almost a quarter (23%) of more than 2,000 tenants surveyed had spent more than £500 on home improvements in their rental homes.

Landlords who allow their tenants to make improvements around their buy to let properties could benefit in the long term as tenants could be inclined to stay in the property for longer.

“Landlords who cautiously allow tenants to put their own stamp on a property could benefit from a lower turnover of tenants and an improved and well-maintained property at the end of the contract,” said Patricia Barber, chair of the AIIC.

However, it is important that landlords complete an inventory prior to and after a tenancy to be able to accurately evaluate the condition of their property.

A detailed inventory can also avoid disagreements further down the line and sets out clearly what is expected of the tenant.

“If rental properties are noticeably changing over the course of a tenancy, it’s vitally important that there is an inventory which comprehensively details the condition and contents of the property at the start of the tenancy,” added Barber. “This way any fair deposit deductions can be made by the landlord and the chances of a [tenancy] deposit dispute are minimised.”

Landlords – get fast and reliable Tenant Referencing to give you peace of mind.