Dean decorates rental properties in Hardingstone for landlords and letting agents, in an NN4 parish about 1.8 miles south of central Northampton. The right finish depends on the type of house: breathable paint for old stone cottages in the conservation area, and durable wipeable finishes for newer homes.
What a Hardingstone rental is likely to be
We have not found any published figures on lettings in Hardingstone, so we will not guess how many houses are let or what tenants are looking for. What we can describe is the housing, because it sets the decorating approach for a rental. Any let property in the parish will probably be one of three types:
| Property | Where | Decorating priority between tenants |
|---|---|---|
| Stone cottage or village house, 16th to 19th century | The Green, Back Lane, Coldstream Lane, High Street | Breathable wall paints, damp-aware prep, care with listed fabric |
| 1930s or 1950s semi or bungalow | Western approach, Glebe Avenue | Standard durable emulsions, woodwork refresh |
| Modern house or flat | Southern estates such as Tate Grove and Falcon Way | Scrubbable matt, quick turnaround on plasterboard |
The general turnaround process is on our main landlord and letting agent decorating page. Here we focus on the parts that are specific to this village.
Old cottages and the mould complaint
In an old stone house here, the thing to plan for between tenancies is damp and mould on the ground floor. Hardingstone sits on the spring line, the clay on its lower slopes holds water, and the base of thick rubble walls can stay damp. When a tenant leaves, those walls often show grey mould spotting or tide marks. Painting over them with a wipeable vinyl matt to look tidy at check-in usually makes things worse. The vinyl seals the wall, the moisture finds another route out, and the marks return within a season.
For these properties we kill and wash off mould, let the wall dry back as far as it will, and repaint in a breathable mineral or clay-based paint. It is less wipeable than a modern scrubbable emulsion, so we usually suggest a slightly darker neutral on the lower walls of hallways and kitchens. Scuffs then show less between tenancies. If the damp is coming from a blocked drain, a failed gutter or ground built up against the wall, it is worth fixing that before redecorating.
If the let property is one of Hardingstone’s 41 listed buildings, listed building consent applies to material alterations inside as well as outside. That rules out quick fixes such as boarding over panelling or sanding back historic joinery without checking first.
Newer homes: quick, hard-wearing, easy to patch
The modern houses south of the core are straightforward rentals to decorate. They have plasterboard walls, MDF or softwood trim, and, usually, uPVC windows that only need cleaning. We use a scrubbable matt in one consistent neutral across the house, and a water-based satin on woodwork that does not yellow. Then the next end-of-tenancy touch-up can be done in a day without a visible patch. Keep a note of the colour and product, and give a copy to your letting agent.
HMOs and planning
A borough-wide Article 4 direction has applied to the remaining areas of Northampton, including Hardingstone, since November 2020. Turning a family house into a small HMO now needs planning permission. If you are thinking about a conversion, check this with West Northamptonshire Council before you plan any decorating, since fire-rated doors and layout changes may be required.
Access on changeover day
For cottages in the core, parking is the limiting factor. There are double yellow lines, narrow footways on parts of the High Street, and the council discourages parking on The Green’s verge. Let us know when the keys will be available and whether there is a drive, and we will plan loading around that. Our cost guide explains what drives the price of a turnaround, and the Hardingstone page describes the wider village.
Last updated by Dean, DH Painter & Decorator.
