Apr

Daft TikTok videos tell tenants how to get around ‘no decoration’ contract clauses

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TikTok videos watched by millions of people advising tenants to get around ‘no decoration’ clauses in rental contracts risk causing more headaches for landlords, according to trade professionals.

One ‘renter-friendly wallpaper hack’ suggests tenants should use painter’s tape, followed by double-sided tape in ladder formations on their walls to hang wallpaper. Toolstation reckons it’s the second wort DIY hack on the social media platform, despite gaining more than 43,000 likes.

It polled 100 professional painter and decorators, 82% of whom warned against it. Explains one: “If it is a rental and you can’t decorate, the painter’s tape and double-sided tape will leave ladder marks.

“The longer it is left up, the worse it will be. It is not a hack I would use. I would go back to the landlord and ask permission to paper a feature wall.”

Complete shower

Landlords might also want to check that tenants haven’t been watching a shower pressure video – along with 4.8 million others – that suggests removing a flow restrictor from a showerhead, but isn’t recommended by 65% of professionals.

One plumber and bathroom fitter warns: “Flow restrictors are in place for a reason – removal can cause temperature issues, especially in the case of combi boilers. I would say never remove them unless the manufacturer clearly states they can be removed entirely.”

Another water leak hack suggesting home DIYers place an epoxy ball into a pipe to stop a water leak has had more than a million views on TikTok, however 87% of professionals reckon they should leave well alone.

“I feel that will not work and for the UK you will be contaminating the water supply as you have introduced a foreign body into the water supply,” advises one plumbing and heating engineer.

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