We're well into December and across the nation trees, wreaths, mistletoe and more is filling our homes.
There's just one small problem - most tenancy agreements have a clause that effectively bans a whole class of decorations.
Put simply, most renters aren’t allowed to hang anything from the walls.
The clause is there to stop people drilling holes to hang pictures and the like, but the way it's written means it also includes sticky tape or blue tack.
Calum Brannan, founder of property management firm Howsy, said: “It might seem a bit Scrooge-like to be so hard on hanging decorations but there’s a good reason for it.
"When we’re tearing down decorations with a sore head on the first of January the last thing we’re thinking is about protecting the walls or ceilings, especially if we are moving on to a new property as is often the case with tenants following Christmas."
The good news is that there are ways around it.
Some properties come with picture rails or other points you can attach Christmas decorations legitimately and if there aren't you can hang decorations from curtain rails or items of furniture that you own yourself.
That way they're not attached to the walls and you don't breach your agreement.
"While a little more time consuming, use thread or fishing wire to attach your decorations so that you can easily cut it away when its time for them to come down," Howsy said.
And if you aren’t sure - the simple answer is to ask your landlord. They might technically be allowed to refuse, but it's far more likely they'll say be fine with it.
"At the end of the day, landlords are people too and so if you have the courtesy to consult them with any plans before you put them into action, you will find that 99.99% of the time they are more than willing to let you go ahead and may even have advice on the best route in doing so, having been there before themselves," Brannan said.
He also had a final warning to people planning to go ahead regardless - pointing out that as a tenant you're responsible for keeping the property in the state you found it in.
That means if the landlord has to re-paint a wall of fix the plaster thanks to your decorations, you'll be the one paying for it.
“It’s important to remember that as a tenant, you still need to abide by the rules of your tenancy agreement. If you don’t, you could be liable for additional costs to return the property to its original state,” Brannan said.
