Between-tenancy repaints: what property managers should ask for

Start the scope from the exit condition report

A between-tenancy repaint should start from the exit condition report, because that report decides who pays for what. The RTA says tenants must leave the property in the same condition it was in at the start of the tenancy, less fair wear and tear. The exit condition report is compared with the entry condition report to check that.

Paint shows up on both sides of the line. Here are the RTA's own paint and wall examples.

So before the painter quotes, mark which walls are which. Faded walls and settling cracks go on the owner's job. Smoke stains and nail damage may go against the bond. The RTA also says the evidence for a bond claim has to reach the tenant within 14 days of the claim. So the quote should name each marked wall. We also give agencies a before and after photo pack for the owner's records.

Damp and mould get fixed before the paint goes on

Mould has to be dealt with before the next tenant moves in. Queensland's minimum housing standards say a rental must be free from vermin, damp and mould, unless the tenant caused it. The RTA says the standards apply when the tenant moves in and for the whole tenancy.

Under the RTA's fact sheet, a new tenant who believes the property doesn't meet the standards can give notice to end the tenancy within the first 7 days. That's a re-let you didn't plan for.

So ask the painter how they'll handle any mould they find. Get the leak or damp fixed first. Dulux recommends a primer on stains and mould-affected surfaces before its Wash&Wear wall paint goes on. In our estimate, mould treatment adds $300 to $1,500 to a job.

If the damp comes from a roof leak, a burst pipe or poor drainage, that's a job for the right trade before it's a job for a painter. Book the painter once the wall is dry.

Ask for an itemised quote, so repairs and improvements sit on separate lines

An itemised quote matters because the ATO treats a plain repaint and an upgrade differently. The ATO lists repainting faded or damaged walls as maintenance, and says maintenance can be claimed in the income year the cost is incurred. The property has to stay rented, or available for rent.

Improvements are different. The ATO says an improvement makes part of the property better, more valuable or more desirable, like a renovation. It also says initial repairs, for damage that was there when the owner bought the place, are capital and can't be claimed straight away. Where repairs and improvements happen in the same job, the owner can only claim the repairs if the costs can be split. The ATO recommends asking the tradie for an itemised invoice.

So ask for a quote with separate lines. Interior repaint of worn walls on one line. Anything new, like a feature wall, newly rendered walls or a colour change across the whole house, on its own line. How the owner claims each line is a question for their accountant. Our job is to make the invoice easy to read. We can invoice the agency or the owner directly, whichever suits you.

A spec built for the next tenancy: washable walls, semi-gloss trims

The cheapest repaint is the one that still looks fine at the next vacate. That comes down to the paint spec, so ask for product names in writing. A quote that only says "two coats" leaves the product up to the painter.

• Walls. We use Dulux Wash&Wear or Taubmans Endeavour. Dulux says Wash&Wear Low Sheen suits all interior walls, including high traffic areas like hallways, and that most common marks, scuffs and stains wipe off with a wet cloth.
• Doors, frames and skirtings. Semi-gloss. These get wiped down at every vacate, so they need a sheen that can handle a cloth.
• Ceilings. A paint made for ceilings, listed on the quote as its own item.
• Colours written down. Ask for the colour names and sheen on the invoice. Then the next touch-up matches, and the next painter doesn't have to guess.

There's no set lifespan for paint in a rental. It depends on the tenants, the sun and the product. A washable wall paint and semi-gloss trims mean more marks come off with a cloth instead of a brush. Our guide to interior paint finishes goes through each sheen in more detail.

Vacant is faster. Occupied needs 48 hours notice

The easiest time to repaint a rental is the gap between the old tenant leaving and the new one moving in. Empty rooms paint faster, with no furniture to shift. In our estimate, moving furniture adds $300 to $1,000, and a vacant house skips that line.

Plan on a day or two for a single room, and five to ten working days for a whole-house interior. Room photos and rough sizes are often enough for us to quote, and you'll usually hear back within a business day. We fix the price with a site visit. Send the vacate date and the date you want the property listed, and we'll work back from those.

If the tenant is still living there, Queensland's entry rules apply. The RTA says entry for repairs or maintenance needs 48 hours notice, using the Entry notice (Form 9). Entry has to be between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday, unless the tenant agrees to another time. Ask your painter for a start date and a finish date, so you can give the tenant the right notice.

What a between-tenancy repaint costs

A walls-only repaint of a 3-bedroom rental sits at $4,500 to $7,500 in our estimate. Here's how other common rental jobs compare.

Our budget refresh tier brings a 3-bed walls-only job down to $3,600 to $6,900. Walls in average condition add 15 percent, and mould treatment adds $300 to $1,500. They're guide ranges only. Our interior painting cost guide has the full breakdown, and the price is fixed after we've seen the property.

If the house was built before 1970, don't let anyone sand the old paint until it's been tested. The Queensland Government says homes built before 1970 have probably got lead-based paint, and that sanders and grinders make lead dust that can poison people. Our guide to lead paint in pre-1970 homes explains the testing.

The quote checklist for property managers

Before you approve a between-tenancy repaint, check the quote covers these points.

1. A QBCC licence number. The QBCC says a licence is needed to contract for building work valued over $3,300, which covers most of the whole-house jobs in the table above. Ours is 1281728.
2. A scope that names each wall or room, tied to the exit condition report.
3. Separate lines for repairs and for any improvements.
4. Product names, colour names and sheen for walls, trims and ceilings.
5. How mould, damp or nail damage will be handled, and what it adds.
6. A start and finish date that fits the vacate and re-let dates.
7. Who collects and returns the keys, and who talks to the tenant if the property is occupied.
8. Before and after photos for the owner's report.
9. Who the invoice goes to: the agency, the owner, or split.

That's how we run rental repaints for agencies on our interior painting service. One property manager wrote in a Google review that we "made my job as a property manager so much easier". We quote rentals anywhere across the Sunshine Coast, from Sippy Downs to Nambour.