DH Painter & Decorator decorates rental properties in Briar Hill, Northampton NN4, for private landlords and letting agents. Dean is based in Northampton about 1.3 miles away, and quotes free for between-tenancy repaints, mould treatment and woodwork refreshes.
Who rents out homes in Briar Hill
Briar Hill’s rental market is split in two. Part of the rented stock is social housing: the 1971 sheltered flats and bungalows at Southwood Hill and the 1987 retirement bungalows at Blackberry Lane are managed by Northampton Partnership Homes and let through West Northants Choice-based Lettings. Decorating in those homes is normally organised by the housing provider. The other side is private buy-to-let in the estate’s houses. A Southwood Hill terrace was recently marketed as suitable for first-time buyers, downsizers or buy-to-let investors, and that is the kind of property this page is about.
Why estate terraces turn round quickly
The two-storey terraces on the estate date from the 1970s, with modest rooms, plastered walls, softwood doors and skirtings, and, according to a recent listing, double glazing. That combination is good news during a void. Rooms are compact, and a whole-house repaint can be programmed tightly between check-out and the next tenancy. We agree the sequence in advance so the property can be cleaned and the inventory photographed straight after we leave.
| Void task | What it involves in a Briar Hill terrace |
|---|---|
| Wall repaint | Filling picture-hook holes and scuffs, two coats of durable emulsion in a neutral |
| Woodwork | Keying and recoating skirtings, internal doors and the stair spindles |
| Mould and stains | Treating north-facing bedroom corners and bathroom ceilings, then a stain-blocking primer |
| Front door | Repainting if weathered, as it is the first thing a viewer sees |
Damp corners on the north side
The estate is built on the north-facing slope of the Nene Valley, and north-facing elevations get little sun and dry slowly. In rental terraces that tends to show up as black mould in the corners of north-facing bedrooms and around window reveals, especially after a winter of drying clothes indoors. Painting straight over it does not last. We wash the affected area with a fungicidal treatment, let it dry, prime with a stain blocker and then finish in a mould-resistant or kitchen-and-bathroom emulsion where it is needed. We will also mention it if the pattern of mould points to a ventilation or leak problem the landlord should look at.
Finishes that survive the next tenancy
For lets we use wipeable, scrubbable emulsions rather than basic contract matt, so marks can be cleaned off at mid-term inspections instead of triggering another repaint. A single neutral across the whole house keeps touch-ups simple: one tin, one colour reference, written on the invoice for your records. Satin on woodwork hides knocks better than high gloss. Colour matters too. Inside a let a warm, light neutral suits the widest range of viewers and copes with the low light in north-facing rooms. Kitchens and bathrooms get a moisture-resistant finish, and ceilings stained by old leaks or smoke get a stain-blocking primer first so marks do not bleed back through. Our landlord and letting agent decorating page covers inventories, keys and working with agents, and the decorating cost guide helps with budgeting a void.
Access during a void
Many Briar Hill terraces park in a communal court rather than at the front door, and some face footpaths rather than roads, so we carry materials in by hand and keep shared areas tidy for the neighbours. Key collection from an agent or a lockbox suits us. Other services on the estate are listed on our Briar Hill area page.
Last updated by Dean, DH Painter & Decorator.
