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

As a landlord, you may face an ordeal when your tenants ask to install a hot tub on your rental property. Though it can bring in optimal tenant satisfaction and cost savings, hot tub installation also poses probable risks. If the hot tub malfunctions or produces damage to the property, you may be left with costly repairs and legal disputes. Aside from that, poor tenant maintenance can cause hygiene concerns or safety hazards.

Accordingly, before deciding, it’s key to examine all the possible risks and benefits of allowing your tenants to install a hot tub. Take into consideration consulting with legal or insurance professionals to really make sure you are unharmed in case of any issues.

For property owners, deciding if tenants can have a hot tub depends on multiple factors. There are, indeed, very good reasons for allowing or not allowing it. Here are particular considerations for each option:

Reasons to Allow Tenants to Have a Hot Tub:

1. Attracting and Retaining Tenants: Granting amenities for example a sauna bath can make your property more appealing to potential tenants, enabling you to charge higher rent and retain tenants for prolonged durations.
2. Increased Property Value: Installing a hot tub can enhance the overall value of your property, which can be useful if you plan to sell in the future.
3. Competitive Advantage: In countless rental markets, obtaining a hot tub can give your property a competitive edge over others, helping it become more enticing and get rented more quickly.
4. Tenant Satisfaction: Tenants who bask in the luxury of a hot tub may be more untroubled with their living arrangements, which could create fewer complaints and satisfying relationships.

Reasons Not to Allow Tenants to Have a Hot Tub:

1. Maintenance and Costs: Hot tubs actually needed regular maintenance, such as cleaning, water treatment, and possible repairs. You may need to shell out for these costs or pass them on to your tenants, which could scare away multiple renters.
2. Liability and Safety Concerns: Hot tubs can certainly pose safety risks. There is a risk of accidents, injuries, or even lawsuits if someone gets hurt. You may need to pay for additional insurance coverage to suitably protect yourself.
3. Potential Property Damage: There’s a risk that the sauna bath could damage the property, for instance, the deck or plumbing, which may result in 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 critical to check and abide by any such rules.
5. Increased Utility Costs: Hot tubs consume electricity and water, which could cause higher utility bills. Choose whether you or the tenant will cover these costs.

Assume you are actually deliberating on allowing your tenants to have a hot tub on your property. Accordingly, there are several integral considerations to know like ownership, the lease agreement terms, the removal and restoration process, cost responsibilities, and the approval process.

Explicitly stating clear-cut guidelines and rules in the lease agreement is absolutely advised if you decide you are going to permit hot tub installation. This can encompass relevant issues like for example maintenance and repair, responsibilities, and usage restrictions, which are substantial to ensure the safety of your tenants and protect your property.

If you’re managing rental properties in Homestead and would be keen on more practical advice on how to write your lease agreement, the property managers at RPM Dade can actually help. Contact us online or call us at 305-501-1511 today.