As a landlord, you may come across an issue when your tenants ask to install a hot tub on your rental property. Though it can develop into optimal tenant satisfaction and cost savings, hot tub installation has impending risks. If the hot tub malfunctions or is the cause of damage to the property, you may be left with costly repairs and legal disputes. In addition, poor tenant maintenance can give rise to hygiene concerns or safety hazards.
Accordingly, preliminary to finalizing your decision, it’s salient to study all the impending risks and benefits of allowing your tenants to install a hot tub. Think of consulting with legal or insurance professionals to establish you are well-protected in case of any issues.
For property owners, deciding if tenants can have a hot tub relies on multiple factors. There are very good reasons for allowing or not allowing it. Here are a handful of considerations for each option:
Reasons to Allow Tenants to Have a Hot Tub:
- Attracting and Retaining Tenants: Presenting amenities, for example, a sauna bath, can make your property more appealing to potential tenants, authorizing you to charge higher rent and retain tenants for prolonged periods of time.
- Increased Property Value: Installing a hot tub can grow the overall value of your property, which can be great if you plan to sell in the future.
- Competitive Advantage: In a lot of rental markets, setting up a hot tub can give your property a competitive edge over others, helping it to be more noticeable and get rented more quickly.
- Tenant Satisfaction: Tenants who delight in the luxury of a hot tub may be more comfortable with their living arrangements, which could engender lower complaints and the best relationships.
Reasons Not to Allow Tenants to Have a Hot Tub:
- Maintenance and Costs: Hot tubs dictate regular maintenance, like cleaning, water treatment, and potential repairs. You may need to deal with these costs or pass them on to your tenants, which could frighten many renters.
- Liability and Safety Concerns: Hot tubs can actually mean safety risks. There is a risk of accidents, injuries, or even lawsuits if someone gets hurt. You may need to purchase additional insurance coverage to secure yourself.
- Potential Property Damage: There’s a risk that the sauna bath could damage the property, for instance, the deck or plumbing, which may demand costly repairs.
- Local Regulations: A number of local municipalities and homeowners’ associations may have regulations or restrictions on allowing and using hot tubs. It’s pertinent to check and comply with any such rules.
- Increased Utility Costs: Hot tubs consume electricity and water, which could develop into higher utility bills. Determine whether you or the tenant will cover these costs.
Assume you are deliberating on allowing your tenants to set up a hot tub on your property. Accordingly, there are several focal considerations to note like ownership, the lease agreement terms, the removal and restoration process, cost responsibilities, and the approval process.
Incorporating clear guidelines and rules in the lease agreement is strongly recommended if you do decide to permit hot tub installation. This can envelop vital issues, for example, maintenance and repair, responsibilities, and usage restrictions, which are primal to ensure the safety of your tenants and protect your property.
If you’re managing rental properties in West Hartford and would want more insight on how to write your lease agreement, the West Hartford property managers at Real Property Management Hartford Metro/Greater New London can help. Contact us online or call us at 860-436-9955 today.
Originally Published on July 3, 2020
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