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Should You Let Your Tenants Have Grills?

Father and Son Grilling in Yard of Amsterdam Rental PropertyIf you own Three Forks single-family rental properties, you might be pondering whether to allow tenants to have grills. For a variety of reasons, such as the serious fire risk they present, the possibility of injury, and the potential for greasy messes, you might not want to permit grills on the property. However, these risks need to be weighed against how much your tenant will enjoy living in your rental property. The potential repercussions of banning grills range from annoyance to a disobedient tenant who brings a grill onto the property despite your requests. It’s essential to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of letting your tenants have a grill before making a decision.

Grills and smokers are used a lot in American culture. One is owned by up to seven out of ten adults in the United States. But the National Fire Protection Association reports that grills cause an average of 10,600 residential fires per year. In addition, injuries caused by grills send nearly 20,000 people to the hospital’s emergency room annually. The majority of these fires and injuries are brought on by gas or propane grills, the most common kind of grill available. Evidently, the risk of injury or fire alone is sufficient to prohibit grills from your property.

The potential for grills to create a mess is another disadvantage of allowing them. All grills can leave greasy messes on a deck or patio, and charcoal grills produce ashes. If your tenant does not know how to responsibly dispose of ashes and clean their grill with the proper cleaners, they might cause property damage. Many surfaces have a hard time being cleaned of grease, and ashes that have been left outside in the wind can coat the outside of the house. Both of the messes are hard to clean up. The heat from a grill can also cause damage, such as melting vinyl siding or scorching wooden decks or railings. Because it can be difficult to determine whether a tenant will use and clean up after their grill responsibly, you may conclude that prohibiting grills is the best course of action.

The provision of a grill to your tenants does, however, come with some benefits. Allowing grills will likely make your tenant happy and promote positive tenant relations, which is probably the most significant benefit. Given the widespread popularity of grills, allowing your tenant to have one may encourage them to remain in your rental property for a longer period of time.

When Three Forks property managers permit their tenants to have a grill, it may also prevent lease violations. It’s unfortunate, but even if you tell your tenant they can’t have a grill, there’s a good chance they’ll still bring one onto the property and try to hide it. Rather, you might think about permitting a grill while putting some safety measures in place. Electric grills, for instance, are safer than other grill types and are less likely to start structural fires. This is due in part to the fact that there are no open flames on electric grills. Allowing your tenant to have an electric grill may not be their first choice, but it may help you keep a good relationship with them while preventing the more serious risks posed by gas or charcoal grills. Consider giving them advice on how to maintain and clean their grill as well. Ultimately, you might discover that reaching a satisfactory agreement regarding the grills is better for you and your tenant in the long run, especially if it means they’ll be more likely to abide by the terms of their lease.

In the end, the decision to permit tenants to have a grill depends on your rental property, personal preferences, and circumstances. However, regardless of your decision, it is essential to establish good communication with your tenant, include clear language in the lease, and respond to your tenant’s requests promptly and professionally.

Would you like to know more about maintaining a successful Three Forks rental property and good tenant relations at the same time? Contact us online today or call us directly at 406-586-2226!

 

Originally published: March 12, 2021

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