Avoiding Charges for Blu Tack Use
Blu Tack and sticky strips leave residual oil marks, so why not guard against it with the below helpful tips?
We'd prefer for our tenants and guarantors not to face charges and invoices in the post that could be easily avoidable, which is why we’re popping across a reminder about one of the most common issues our maintenance team come across – tenants leaving Blu Tack on painted walls.
We know it might seem harmless, but Blu Tack stains are notoriously difficult to remove, which is why in all of our tenancy agreements we’ve emphasised the need to completely steer clear of using the stuff!
It’s extremely costly to rectify those pesky oily marks and spots where paint has come off. It’s the same with white tack, and sticky strips – the stains they cause will all need to be professionally removed and, in most cases, will call for re-decorating.
Due to move out soon and realising your walls are currently covered in Blu Tack? Here’s what you can do:
- Remove all Blu Tack from the property now. Invest in some magic sponges and carefully rub the areas affected. Try not to get the area too wet and be careful that you are not removing paint from the walls. We've included a handy video to help.
- Don’t attempt to touch up the paint! Unless you’ve got the exact colour match, it will likely make things worse.
- These tips apply when it comes to other spillages, marks and scuffs left on the walls as well.
Tip: Most of the Blu Tack marks we come across are from photo/poster collages. We know plain walls are boring…but you can make a house a home without Blu Tack. Try attaching string to doors and shelving, then clipping photos and posters to this to achieve the same decorative look.
We do need to make it clear that if you’ve got a large number of Blu Tack marks on a wall then professional re-decoration will be required and your landlord is likely to pursue you for some, if not all, of the costs involved, even if you do not have a deposit.
If you follow the steps above, we’ll let you know on our next inspection if we think the results are ok. For peace of mind, you can send us a photo if you’re worried and would like some clarification.