Putting up Christmas lights is one of the most popular holiday traditions for many people. But should you allow your renters to hang Christmas lights by themselves on your Alexander rental house? This is a question you must think about before saying yes. 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. However, that does not mean your tenants will have to miss this tradition entirely. There are many ways you, as a landlord, can help your tenants ready their homes while keeping safety in mind.
The top reason for discouraging your tenants from installing Christmas lights on their own is the risk of injury. From 2007 to 2013, more than 173,000 people in the U.S. were injured by hanging Christmas decorations in their homes. The process of 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. Being the landlord, you could be responsible for your tenant’s injuries if loose or slippery roof tiles contributed to the fall. Not to mention the very real danger of electrical shock or overloading your existing breakers. You could still end up in a legal battle even if your property’s roof is not an issue.
You also want to avoid any potential damage to your rental property. That is another reason to discourage your tenant from installing Christmas lights on their own. Nails, screws, and other hardware often used to secure strings of lights, garlands, and other Christmas decorations can leave ugly holes in the walls, both interior, and exterior.
Holes created on exterior surfaces could cause insects or water to seep into the walls of the home and could cost you a lot in damage repair. There are many ways to decorate without damaging the walls or exterior surfaces, but you can’t be sure your tenant will use any of those. Most renters are not as conscious about property damage as owners 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. One popular option is hiring a professional to install Christmas lights on the home for your tenant. Since professionals carry their own liability insurance, they can do the job faster and safer than your tenant could.
More than that, most professional light installers’ services include taking down the Christmas lights from the home once the holidays are over. Paying someone to hang Christmas lights on your rental house might be well worth the price & convenience after all!
In addition to the safety of both your tenant and your property, you can also build goodwill with them and improve your landlord-tenant relationship by making their holiday decorating less of a hassle.
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 Hometown 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 501-701-4702 or 501-303-6870 or contact us online today!
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.