Painting when you rent: how to ask your landlord

Plenty of landlords are fine with paint, especially when a professional does the work and the colors are easy to live with.

Ask in writing

Send the colors you want, who's doing the work and when. A written yes protects your security deposit.

Pick colors a future tenant could live with

Soft neutrals, muted greens and warm whites are an easier yes than a deep navy bedroom. Save the bold color for an accent wall.

Offer to repaint when you leave

If your landlord is on the fence, offering to return the walls to neutral at move-out often gets you to yes.

Keep the receipts

Hold on to your invoice and the paint colors. If questions come up at move-out, you'll have proof the work was done professionally.