You might be contemplating whether or not to permit your tenants to use a grill if you own Jenks single-family rental homes. You may not want to allow grills on your property for a variety of reasons, including the fact that they pose a significant risk of fire damage and injury and leave greasy messes. However, these risks need to be weighed against how much your tenant will enjoy living in your rental property. There could be a lot of frustration if you forbid grills and your tenant dismisses your requests and brings a grill onto the property anyway. Before deciding whether to allow your tenants to have a grill, it is essential to weigh the pros and cons.
In American culture, barbecue grills and smokers are extremely common. In the U.S., seven out of every ten adults own one. However, according to the National Fire Protection Association, grills start 10,600 home fires on average each year. In addition, injuries caused by grills send nearly 20,000 people to the hospital’s emergency room annually. The most common type of grill on the market, gas or propane grills are to blame for the majority of these fires and injuries. Obviously, the risk of injury or fire is sufficient justification for prohibiting grills on your property.
Grills may leave a mess behind, which is another drawback to allowing them. Ashes are produced by charcoal grills, and all grills tend to leave greasy messes on a deck or patio. Your tenant may harm the property if they do not know how to remove ashes properly or clean their grill with the proper cleaners. It is difficult to remove grease from many surfaces, and ashes left outside in the elements can be blown around and coat the exterior surfaces of the house. Each mess is difficult to clean up. In addition, the heat from a grill can cause other types of damage, such as melting vinyl siding or scorching wooden decks or railings. The best course of action may seem to be to inform your tenant that they are not permitted to have a grill on the property because it can be difficult to predict whether they will use it responsibly and clean up after themselves.
Enabling your tenants to have a grill has some benefits, though. 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 stay in your rental property longer, because tenants want to feel at home in their rental.
When Jenks property managers permit their tenants to have a grill, it may also prevent lease violations. It’s upsetting, but even if you tell your tenant they can’t have a grill, there’s a good chance they’ll bring one onto the property and then try to conceal it. Rather, you might think about permitting a grill while putting some safety measures in place. Electric grills, for instance, are saferand less likely to cause structure fires than other grill types. This is due to the fact that electric grills have no open flames. Even though it might not be their first choice, allowing your tenant to use an electric grill could help you keep a positive relationship with them while avoiding the more serious risks that come with using a gas or charcoal grill. You might also consider giving them advice on how to maintain and clean their grill. In the end, you might discover that reaching a reasonable agreement on grills is better for you and your tenant in the long run, particularly if it means they’ll be more likely to abide by the terms of their lease.
The decision to permit tenants to have a grill ultimately comes down to your rental property, personal preferences, and circumstances. Regardless of your decision, it’s critical to build a strong bond with your tenant, include precise language in your lease, and respond to requests from your tenant in a timely and professional manner.
Would you like to know more about maintaining a successful Jenks rental property and good tenant relations at the same time? Contact us online today or call us directly at 918-984-4433!
Originally published: March 12, 2021
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