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Should You Allow Your Harlan Ranch Residents to Have A Hot Tub?

Young Women Relaxing in Hot Tub on Rental PropertyIf your Harlan Ranch tenants have asked for permission to have a hot tub, you might be thinking what to answer to that. Particularly, tenants who buy and install a hot tub usually cover all the costs and maintenance involved. However, possessing a hot tub on the property may pose serious risks, most of them may end up with costly repairs, litigation, or sometimes more. Before allowing your residents to have a hot tub, it’s important first to understand all the risks and benefits involved.

When your property doesn’t already have a hot tub or swimming pool, you may be unsure about agreeing to let your tenant install one. Between the two, a hot tub is far less expensive and requires far less alteration of the property. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any implications for your property. Perhaps, most hot tubs are required to be installed on a concrete pad or another platform, most of which are permanent fixtures. Though the padding might be in use while your current tenant is renting the home, what next when they exit? Will they take the hot tub with them, or leave it behind? If they took it, will you be alright to have an empty concrete pad sitting in your yard? Mostly these are all questions you should ask and answer before making a decision.

At first sight, you might see an opportunity to allow your tenants to have a hot tub. Adding a hot tub to your rental property might wind up being an attractive feature for future tenants. You can also be able to charge a higher rent instantly by offering either a hot tub pad or a hot tub itself. If your tenant decides to leave the hot tub behind on their way out, you can wind up with a nice little bump in your property values.

However, there are several issues to consider, as well. Hot tubs require quite a lot of maintenance. To keep a hot tub clean and properly maintained, you must test and adjust the spa water at least twice a week. The spa filter needs to be cleaned once a month, and the entire spa drained, scrubbed, and refilled three or four times a year. The spa cover should be removed and aired out twice a week to prevent mold, and the water levels carefully maintained. You may assume your tenant will do all of the upkeep, but what if they choose not to? A neglected hot tub could become a serious health hazard, and this time it is no longer just your tenant’s problem, but yours as well. If your tenant leaves the hot tub behind, the maintenance – and costs involved – are now your responsibility.

Another thing to consider carefully is the increased risk of injury or death. When used properly, hot tubs are relatively safe. But wet surfaces can result in increased slips and falls, and any tub or pool always carries the risk of drowning. Everyone who uses the hot tub must be carefully supervised and follow proper safety precautions. Trusting your tenant to do so may look like too big of a gamble since injuries from misuse could still become your legal nightmare. Moreover, many tenants might not want a hot tub for these reasons, which will reduce the number of applicants the next time you attempt to search for a new tenant.

There are many reasons not to allow a hot tub on your Harlan Ranch rental property. However, if you do decide to allow one, at a minimum, you must require a separate agreement to help you to mitigate the risks associated. If you want your tenant to remove the hot tub or the concrete pad when they move out, you need to put that in writing, also. Either way, it is important to include a detailed discussion with your tenant about their request and then communicate your decision after.

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.

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