What You Need to Know Before Mounting a TV in an Apartment

Jul 11, 2017

Your place may be a rental, but it’s still your home, and you want it to be as stylish and comfortable as possible. Often that means mounting your TV on the wall, especially since many apartments are short on space. Wall mounting is convenient. And it can greatly improve your viewing experience.

But don’t get out the drill and screwdriver just yet. Since you’re just renting the space, you’ll want to get the go-ahead from your landlord before mounting a TV in your apartment.

First, Take a Look at Your Lease

It spells out what is OK and what is not when it comes to tenant apartment mods. It may not specifically mention TV mounts, but it undoubtedly notes that you will be responsible for patching any holes you have made in the drywall.

Landlords may overlook small holes, but larger ones might cause concern when it’s time to move out. Good thing that the holes left behind by a properly-mounted TV will be small!

Then Talk to Your Landlord

Your landlord’s goal is to re-rent your apartment as quickly and painlessly as possible after you leave. You can improve your chances of a “yes” regarding your TV by reassuring him or her that mounting a TV is simple and easy. And you fully intend to patch any holes you make, including repairing holes created if you decide to take the TV mount with you when you move.

But leaving the mount behind may be the better move for you and your landlord. Here’s why. You won’t have to lift a finger to remove it, and it may not even be right for your next abode. Besides, you can point out that the TV mount might be an extra incentive for new renters. This fact might help convince your landlord that the TV mount is a good idea in the first place.

No Luck?

Wondering how to mount a TV in an apartment when your landlord isn't onboard? You may have other options. What about creating a false wall? You can do this as a weekend DIY project (or even hire a local handyman or handywoman on a site like Thumbtack to do it). You could then mount your TV and components on it, and run all the cables behind the false wall. Remember, you should still run this by your landlord before kicking it off.

Other Options

If mounting the TV in your apartment just won’t work, consider a SANUS swivel base. Even though you're setting your TV on a shelf or a piece of furniture, you’ll still have the benefits of a mounted TV, like glare reduction and visibility from almost any viewing angle.

Whether mounting a TV is an option or not based on your lease, you have options when it comes to getting the best TV setup in your apartment.