Painting for personal choice

You can also choose to paint your home because you would like a different colour.

It's a good idea to get your landlord's permission before painting your home for this reason. Ask your landlord in writing, by email, text message, or letter. It is not permission if your landlord doesn't answer. You can also check your rental agreement to see if your landlord has included rules about painting.  Even if your landlord hasn't told you about any rules, it's a good idea to ask. If you think their rules are unreasonable, try to get legal advice before you paint.

Your landlord can reasonably refuse to let you paint some parts of your home if it would be very hard or expensive to repaint. For example, your landlord might say you can't paint over varnished cupboards or cabinets.

The law is not clear if your landlord can refuse to let you paint because they don't like the colour you picked. It's also not clear if your landlord can ask you to pay them to repaint if they don't like the colour.

You might be able to avoid issues with your landlord if you agree to repaint the walls to their original colour before you move out. Try to have this agreement in writing. If you and your landlord agree to this, it's a good idea to take pictures before and after you move to prove that you followed the agreement. Keep the pictures in a safe place for at least one year after you move.