Painting Deduction Clause
Repainting is normal wear and tear after about twelve months of tenancy. A clause that charges the full painting cost to the tenant regardless of how long they stayed shifts a landlord maintenance cost onto you.
What it means in plain English
Paint degrades with time and use, not because of tenant misconduct. A fair clause amortises the cost: the shorter your stay, the larger your share. A common benchmark is straight-line amortisation to zero at 36 months, so an 18-month tenant bears about half.
Why it is risky
- Full-cost painting clauses are one of the most common silent deposit deductions.
- The amount is usually not capped, so the invoice arrives after you have moved out and lost leverage.
- 'Professional painting by the Lessor's contractor' removes your right to get competing quotes.
- It often stacks with a separate 'professional cleaning' charge for the same period of ordinary use.
Red-flag wording to look for
- "The Tenant shall bear the entire cost of repainting the premises at the time of vacating, irrespective of the duration of the tenancy."
- "Painting shall be carried out by the Lessor's appointed contractor and the cost deducted from the deposit."
- "A minimum painting charge of one month's rent shall be deducted in all cases."
What fair wording looks like: Painting is treated as wear and tear after twelve months, and any tenant contribution is amortised by how long the tenancy lasted, supported by an itemised invoice.
Recommended counter-clause
Replace the risky clause with this wording. Square brackets are the numbers to agree.
Repainting the premises is normal wear and tear. If the tenancy ends within twelve (12) months, the Tenant shall bear the documented cost of repainting. After twelve (12) months, the Tenant's share shall reduce on a straight-line basis to nil at thirty-six (36) months of tenancy. Any such deduction shall be supported by an itemised invoice from a contractor of the Tenant's choosing or a quote the Tenant has approved in writing.
Hi [Landlord name], on the painting clause — I'm fine bearing a share, but could we amortise it by tenancy length rather than charging the full cost? Painting is wear and tear after a year, so a straight-line split to nil at 36 months is the standard benchmark, backed by an itemised invoice.
General information, not legal advice. Wording should be adapted to your contract and jurisdiction.
Frequently asked questions
- How much painting cost should a tenant pay?
- Under the widely used benchmark, the full cost if you leave within twelve months, then a share reducing on a straight line to nil at thirty-six months. After 18 months, that is roughly 50%; after 30 months, roughly 17%.
- Can the landlord pick the painter and charge me?
- A fair clause requires either your approval of the quote or your choice of contractor. Without that, the invoice amount is entirely in the landlord's control.
- Can painting and deep cleaning both be deducted?
- Both can appear, but cleaning should be capped at a reasonable amount — typically one month's rent — and neither should cover ordinary use. Run the numbers in the security deposit refund calculator.
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