A lot of people hang Christmas lights as part of their holiday tradition. But should you agree to let your renters put up Christmas lights on your North Logan rental house by themselves? Give this some thought first before allowing them. Given that a lot of things can go wrong with this, there are many reasons why you should discourage your tenants from hanging Christmas lights on the roof or trees. But your tenants can still enjoy this part of the festivities. There are many ways you, as a landlord, can help your tenants ready their homes while keeping safety in mind.
One of the best reasons to ask your tenants not to install Christmas lights on their own is to avoid the risk of injury that comes with it. From 2007 to 2013, more than 173,000 people in the U.S. were injured by hanging Christmas decorations in their homes. Hanging Christmas lights on a home’s exterior can be very dangerous.
Every holiday season, an estimated 13,000 people injure themselves by falling off the roof or getting shocked by Christmas lights. Landlords may still be held liable for tenants’ injuries if loose or slippery roof tiles were a contributor to the fall. There is also the danger of electrical shock or overloading breakers. Even if your property’s roof is in good shape, you could still find yourself in a legal battle.
Another good reason against allowing your tenants to hang Christmas lights by themselves is the potential damage to your rental property. Nails, screws, and other hardware are often used to secure strings of lights, garlands, and other Christmas decorations and they can leave ugly holes in walls, both interior, and exterior.
Even small holes in exterior surfaces can be entry points for insects or water into the walls of the home and cause extensive damage that result in expensive repairs. Although there are many ways to decorate a home without damaging the walls or exterior surfaces, your tenant may not know about this. And since they are renters, not owners, they might not be as careful as you would be.
As you safeguard your tenant’s safety as well as your rental property, you can prudently offer your tenant an alternative way to enjoy the traditional Christmas lights on their home. You can do this by hiring a professional to do the Christmas lights installation on the home for your tenant. These liability insurance-carrying professionals will be more than able to do the job faster, easier, and safer than your tenant could.
Professional light installers also usually return after the holidays to remove the Christmas lights from the home. Although paying someone to hang Christmas lights on your rental house might not be your first choice, it could be worth the price.
With this offer of convenience for your tenant, you not only ensure their safety and that of your property, but you also build goodwill and improve your landlord-tenant relationship by giving them extra time during the holidays.
Whether it’s installing Christmas lights or doing routine property maintenance, managing a rental property can make you too busy to enjoy the holidays yourself. Why not let Real Property Management Cache Valley do it for you? Our property management professionals have the resources and expertise you need to feel confident that your investment and your tenant are both safe and sound this holiday season. Would you like to learn more? Call us at 435-753-5200 or contact us online today!