1. It is wrong to assume you can make décor changes to the property you rent.
   Your lease probably states that “you may not, without the written consent of the landlord, make changes to the structure or the décor of the property”. Or something very similar.
   To a landlord, magnolia makes perfect sense. It’s clean, bright and very serviceable. Pop in a blue vase or a red painting and – instant personality!
   On top of that, you can’t give people carte blanche to
2. It is wrong to assume that you cannot make changes to the property you rent
   That clause says that you can at least talk to the landlord about making some changes.
3. It is crazy to put your hard-earned money into someone else’s place
   The place is fine right? It’s clean, it was painted before we moved in last year and the landlord’s really nice, we don’t want her to think there’s something wrong after all.
4. It is crazy not to spend a little money on giving the place a little love
   You’re here a year already, you’re probably going to be here for two, maybe three more years.
   It’s really important to feel comfortable in your own home, right?
   Of course it is, what could be more important?
5. I’m afraid I won’t get my deposit back
   A very good point, and a great reason to put together a plan. Map out what you want to do, then go to the landlord. Most landlords appreciate tenants who want to enhance their investment.
6. I’m still afraid I won’t get my deposit back
   Reinstatement is the key – the landlord wants to know if he can bring the place back to it’s original condition when you leave. So no strong colours, no big brackets on the walls and don’t assume you can throw anything out without getting the ok first.
   And everything you do must be done professionally – paint the wall, not the carpet. Hanging curtain rails properly is not as simple as it looks.
7. I don’t know where to start
   In that case it’s best to decide how much you want to spend and where you want to spend it –
   
   The Sitting Room –
   Put matching table and floor lamps in.
   Buy that painting that says something about you
   And of course throws and cushions that blend with your new curtains/lampshades/painting

The Bedroom
Blend coloured and plain white bed linen, cushions and throws to elevate the appearance of the room and add texture. Bedside lamps (lampshades really) can add real character to a room.
BTW more and more of our tenants are asking about getting a larger bed – the standard 4’6” is

simply not big enough anymore. That is a problem for the landlord, he or she will probably consider the bed to be perfectly serviceable and in any case few landlords have room to store excess furniture.
Maybe you can do a deal for the second-hand value of the bed with her, or agree to leave your bed behind when you leave in 5 years’ time?

The Hallway
Lean a full length mirror against the wall.
Position a large photo or painting just under a light, make a statement with it too, interesting, quizzical, arty and grab your guests attention as they arrive.

The Kitchen
Change the handles and knobs on the presses and drawers (ask first and keep the old ones).
That’ll work in the bedroom too.

Sites like www.tempaper.com offer wall decals and paper that goes up easily and comes down without leaving any residue

8. And plants, real or faux, table top, floor standing bamboo or wall hanging add life and vibrancy to a home.
   And it is your money, so spend on things you can bring with you.

The Housing Minister has announced a new scheme to make affordable mortgages available for low to middle income earners.
The scheme includes a very attractive 2-2.25% interest rate for the term of the mortgage, Under the schemes, a person or couple can borrow up to 90% of the value of a new, second-hand or self-build home to a maximum of €320,000 in the Greater Dublin area.
Income cannot exceed €50,000 for a single person or €75,000 for a couple.

Now – if they would only build 20,000 houses……..