We decorate rental properties in New Duston, NN5, for private landlords, letting agents and housing providers, 2.8 miles north-west of Northampton town centre. Work here is mostly repaints between tenancies in purpose-built flats and family houses, plus upkeep of shared stairwells and entrances.
What New Duston’s rental stock looks like
According to the 2011 Census figures quoted in the Duston Neighbourhood Plan, Duston parish as a whole was about 82% owner occupied, with around 10% private rented and 6% social housing. Within the parish, New Duston is where the flats and council homes are: the plan says it has much more purpose-built flats, and more council homes, than Old Duston. We found no sign of a student or HMO cluster here, so turnarounds are mostly self-contained flats and family houses rather than shared lets.
Flat turnarounds
A flat in a purpose-built block is quick to decorate but has its own limits. Access is usually through a shared entrance and stairwell, materials have to be carried up past other residents, and the managing agent may have rules about working hours and where tools and dust sheets can be left. Inside, the same marks come up at every changeover:
- Scuffs along hallway walls from furniture moved in and out.
- Grease and steam marks in small kitchens and bathrooms with limited ventilation.
- Holes from picture hooks, TV brackets and shelves.
- Worn paint on the flat entrance door, which in many blocks is a fire door and needs care around seals and closers.
We use a consistent neutral scheme across the flat, so that later touch-ups blend in rather than showing as patches.
Family houses between tenants
Rented houses in New Duston range from older red brick and stone cottages near Port Road and Quarry Road to brick houses on the western estates. In a family let, wear concentrates on stair walls, children’s bedrooms and the woodwork around the back door. On older cottages, walls can be uneven and may carry many layers of paint, so a quick roll-over is not always enough. We will say honestly which rooms need full coats and which only need a touch-up before the next let.
Shared stairwells and entrances
With so many purpose-built flats, communal areas are a big part of rental decorating here. A stairwell decorated as part of a planned programme lasts much longer than one patched after complaints. We work a section at a time so residents can always get in and out, sign any wet paint, and use tough, washable finishes on the lower walls and handrails that take the most wear. Work for housing providers or the council usually comes with a set specification for colours and products, and we follow it.
Making changeovers simple for agents
When a property is between tenants, a letting agent or landlord who lives away from Northampton cannot always be there. We can collect keys, send photos when the work is finished, and let you know about anything we spot that needs another trade, such as a dripping tap, a blown seal on a window or signs of damp. Parking near flat blocks and in the busy western closes can be tight, so we check arrangements with you before booking a date.
| Let type | Typical priority at changeover |
|---|---|
| Purpose-built flat | Hallway scuffs, kitchen and bathroom walls, entrance door |
| Family house on the western estates | Stair wall, bedrooms, woodwork at back door and garage door |
| Older stone or brick cottage | Uneven walls, old layered paint on woodwork, damp-prone corners |
| Communal areas | Lower walls, handrails, door frames on each landing |
How we approach rental work generally, including inventory-friendly finishes, is covered on our main landlord and letting agent page. For other services in this part of NN5, see the New Duston page.
Last updated by Dean, DH Painter & Decorator.
