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Tenant-Requested Hot Tubs: Landlord’s Decision-Making Guide

Young Women Relaxing in Hot Tub on Rental Property

As a landlord, you may come to a dilemma when your tenants ask to install a hot tub on your rental property. Notwithstanding that it can bring about the desired tenant satisfaction and cost savings, hot tub installation has possible risks. If the hot tub malfunctions or causes damage to the property, you may be left with costly repairs and legal disputes. Furthermore, poor tenant maintenance can elicit hygiene concerns or safety hazards.

In such circumstances, before you ever decide, it’s really important to consider all the possible risks and benefits of allowing your tenants to install a hot tub. Check about consulting with legal or insurance professionals to make certain you are safeguarded in case of any issues.

For property owners, deciding if tenants can have a hot tub depends on numerous factors. There are convincing reasons for allowing or not allowing it. Here are just a few considerations for each option:

Reasons to Allow Tenants to Have a Hot Tub:

  1. Attracting and Retaining Tenants: Providing amenities, for instance, a sauna bath can make your property more appealing to potential tenants, enabling you to charge higher rent and retain tenants for long durations.
  2. Increased Property Value: Installing a hot tub can build up the overall value of your property, which can be perfect if you plan to sell in the future.
  3. Competitive Advantage: In countless rental markets, affixing a hot tub can give your property a competitive edge over others, helping it to be attractive and get rented more quickly.
  4. Tenant Satisfaction: Tenants who take delight in the luxury of a hot tub may be more at ease with their living arrangements, which could set off fewer complaints and nice relationships.

Reasons Not to Allow Tenants to Have a Hot Tub:

  1. Maintenance and Costs: Hot tubs need regular maintenance, for example, cleaning, water treatment, and plausible repairs. You may need to take upon yourself these costs or pass them on to your tenants, which could discourage multiple renters.
  2. Liability and Safety Concerns: Hot tubs can pose safety risks. There is a risk of accidents, injuries, or even lawsuits if someone gets hurt. You may need to obtain additional insurance coverage to make yourself well-protected.
  3. Potential Property Damage: There’s a risk that the sauna bath could damage the property, for case in point, the deck or plumbing, which may entail costly repairs.
  4. Local Regulations: A lot of local municipalities and homeowners’ associations may have regulations or restrictions on putting up and using hot tubs. It’s pivotal to check and comply with any such rules.
  5. Increased Utility Costs: Hot tubs consume electricity and water, which could trigger higher utility bills. Determine whether you or the tenant will cover these costs.

Assume you are possibly allowing your tenants to put in place a hot tub on your property. In such circumstances, there are several integral considerations to remember, for example, ownership, the lease agreement terms, the removal and restoration process, cost responsibilities, and the approval process.

Establishing very clear guidelines and rules in the lease agreement is greatly recommended if you do decide to permit hot tub installation. This can include critical issues such as maintenance and repair, responsibilities, and usage restrictions, which are important to ensure the safety of your tenants and protect your property.

If you’re managing rental properties in Harlan Ranch and would want more insight on how to write your lease agreement, the Harlan Ranch property managers at Real Property Management Platinum can help. Contact us online or call us at 559-425-8550 today.

 

Originally Published on July 3, 2020

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