Guide

Harsh Downlights in a Rental? What You Can Do Without Replacing Anything

You've moved in, switched on the lights and found a ceiling full of harsh LED downlights. If you owned the place, you could replace them. When you rent, it's not that simple. The fixtures belong to your landlord, and the wiring is not something to take apart yourself.

There is still quite a lot you can do without an electrician, without changing anything permanent, and with things you can take with you when you move out.

The quickest fix that needs no tools is a shade that sits on the outside of the downlight, such as Lumeaglow. It mounts with putty, comes off again when you move, and does not touch the wiring. Below we look at what you can and cannot do as a renter, and which other changes also help.

Look at the areas under the hair, around the eyes and under the nose. Without a shade, the darkest parts of the face become very dark. With a shade the light spreads more evenly, so those same areas become brighter, and the forehead and the tip of the nose are not as bright.

What you can and can't do as a renter

Changing fixed wiring, such as the downlights themselves, switches or dimmers, is a job for a qualified electrician, and in a rental your landlord has to agree to it. Swapping the bulb in a downlight that takes replaceable bulbs is normally fine. But taking the fixture out or fitting a new dimmer is usually not something a renter can do themselves.

That leaves you three options: change the bulbs, use other light, or shield the downlights from the outside.

1. Change the bulbs if you can

Many downlights take replaceable bulbs, such as GU10. Then you can choose a warmer light, like 2700K, and perhaps a slightly lower output. Keep the original bulbs and put them back when you move out. If the fixtures have built-in LEDs, this option is off the table. There is more on choosing bulbs in the guide to colour temperature.

2. Use the downlights less

Table and floor lamps with shades give a much calmer light than ceiling downlights, and they move with you. Plenty of renters use the downlights for cooking and cleaning and lamps for the rest of the evening. If there is a dimmer, use it, but remember that dimming only makes the light source weaker, not less sharp. The light still casts shadows on the walls and on your face, and still shines straight into your eyes, which many people find tiring.

3. Shield the light source from the outside

What causes the glare is looking straight into a small, bare LED surface. A shade that sits on the outside of the downlight turns that point into a larger, softer surface of light, without touching the fixture or the wiring.

Look for these things when you choose a shade for a rental:

• No screws or drilling. It should sit on the fixture, not be fixed into the ceiling.
• It comes off again. You want to hand the place back the way you found it.
• It is made for LED. Halogen and incandescent bulbs run too hot to be covered.

Lumeaglow in a rental

Lumeaglow is made for exactly this. It fits over your LED downlight with the included putty, with no screws or drilling, and comes off again without tools. It is made of plastic and comes in four sizes, so you measure the outer rim of the downlight and pick the size that fits. It is for LED downlights only.

When you move out, lift the shades off and wipe away any putty left on the trim. You can take the shades with you and use them in your next home, as long as the downlights there are a size that fits.

Should you tell your landlord?

Lamps and bulbs are your business. If you are fitting something to the downlights, it is a good idea to mention it to your landlord, even though it comes off again. If you want new fixtures or a dimmer, that is for your landlord to arrange with an electrician.

In short

• Leave the wiring alone. That is a job for your landlord and an electrician.
• Change bulbs where you can, and keep the originals.
• Shield the light source with something that sits on the outside and comes off again.

To understand why downlights glare in the first place, read how to soften harsh LED downlights. If your bathroom is the worst room, there are separate tips in the bathroom downlights guide.

Frequently asked questions