DH Painter & Decorator repaints rental homes in Camp Hill, NN4, for private landlords and letting agents, mainly between tenancies. Dean works from Northampton, 1.8 miles north-east of the estate, and quotes free for anything from touch-ups to a full repaint.
What rental property looks like on the estate
Camp Hill is a 1980s estate of small houses on the slope of Hunsbury Hill. The terraces grouped in the Squares off Dayrell Road, the Benjamin Square’s leasehold flats, and two-bedroom semis like those on Harksome Hill are the kind of compact, lower-priced stock that suits buy-to-let. No public source puts a figure on how many are privately rented, so we would not claim to know. What we can say is how these homes behave as rentals and what a sensible repaint looks like.
The estate also has social housing. Parsons Meade is 44 two-bedroom retirement bungalows built in 1988 and managed by Northampton Partnership Homes. Decoration there is the housing provider’s business and would go through them, not individual residents.
Turning a two-bed round between tenants
A small terrace or semi of this size has few rooms, so a full end-of-tenancy repaint is a short job and the property is off the market for less time. That changes the decision. Where a larger house might justify patching only the worst rooms, in a compact two-bed it is often just as quick to give every room a coat in one neutral colour, which also means future touch-ups are simple. Where only some rooms need it, we will tell you which ones and leave the rest.
The usual list for a Camp Hill rental is predictable: filling picture-hook holes and furniture dents, washing down kitchen walls, painting over marks on the narrow hall and stair walls, and refreshing original 1980s skirtings and door frames that have been chipped by moves. Mould is the other common issue. Many houses face north or east on the hillside and get little sun, and a small bathroom or back bedroom with a tenant drying washing indoors can show black spots on the ceiling and window reveals. We treat that with a fungicidal wash and a mould-resistant paint, and we will point it out if ventilation needs looking at. Paint does not fix condensation on its own.
Finishes that cope with the next let
We use one consistent neutral across the property, recorded so you or the next decorator can match it. Durable, wipeable emulsions go on walls in halls, kitchens and bathrooms, and satin goes on woodwork rather than gloss, because it stays white and is easier to touch in. Bathrooms and kitchens get a moisture-resistant finish. Our landlord and letting agent decorating page explains how we approach rental work generally.
Leasehold flats and what the lease says
Inside a leasehold flat, the landlord who owns the lease can normally redecorate freely. The communal entrance, shared stairs and exterior are different: they usually fall to the freeholder or a managing agent, and the lease may require consent before any repainting or set the colours. If you own a flat in one of the Squares and the shared areas are looking tired, raise it with the managing agent; we can quote them directly.
Keys, access and timing
Most between-tenancy work happens with the property empty, so we can collect keys from you or your letting agent and send photos when the job is finished. Parking is worth mentioning when you book. Homes in the Squares are reached across shared courts, and streets such as Summerfields and Merry Hill are living streets where the van may need to park a little way off. Early starts can also be held up by queues at the Danes Camp Way roundabout at peak times, which we allow for. There is no set price for a void repaint, because it depends on the condition; our cost guide covers what affects it, and our Camp Hill page has more on the area.
Last updated by Dean, DH Painter & Decorator.
