Are you a landlord dedicated to making your rental meet all safety standards? Making sure tenants and guests feel safe and comfortable is the highest priority for any responsible landlord. While it takes some effort, following a few simple steps can help ensure compliance with local health codes, fire regulations, security and building maintenance regulations, and more.
Read on to discover best practices that will help your rental property follows safety guidelines while keeping renters happy too!
Best Way to Know if Your Rental Meets Safety Standards
Making a checklist for your home to ensure it meets safety standards is an important part of keeping your investment and your tenants safe. Performing a safety review of door locks, window locks, smoke alarms, stairs and railings, and any other potential points of hazards can prevent injuries or illnesses resulting from poor home maintenance.
It’s essential for every landlord to make a checklist that they can use to consistently evaluate the safety of their rental home to make sure it’s up-to-date with the most current health and safety standards.
Doing this assessment periodically will ensure that small issues do not become major, more costly problems while simultaneously helping ensure that health hazards are detected early on. Taking the time to invest in making a home safety checklist and ensuring you maintain a safe environment for the tenants living in is well worth the time.
Safety Standards Checklist For Rental Homes
To make the safety checking process easy, here are a few things that you must include on your inspection checklist:
Security Systems and Proper Locks
The safety of your rental property is paramount, and one of the most effective ways to ensure high-security standards is through installing proper door and window locks. Not only will this give a sense of ease to tenants when renting out the property, but it also helps deter criminal activity in or around the property.
A good quality lock will give you an extra layer of security. You can also consider adding security systems, outdoor cameras, and motion sensor lighting. Investing in proper locks and security systems offers tenants a sense of safety and protect their property from vandalism, theft, or other harm.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector
Adding a smoke and carbon monoxide detector to your rental home is a simple and cost-effective way of making sure the living space meets safety standards. Smoke detectors allow for early detection of fires, enabling occupants to evacuate before they are seriously injured.
Furthermore, having a smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed can also provide peace of mind knowing that the home and its occupants are protected. Fire alarms installed should meet current building codes as well as other regulations set by local ordinances.
You can also inform tenants of fire prevention procedures they can take as well as what to do in the event of a fire or gas leak. By taking these extra steps, you will show tenants that you care about their safety and comfort.
Pest Control
It’s essential for landlords to routinely inspect their rental property for pest infestation. An infestation could lead to significant damages to the property, affect tenants' health and safety, and potentially breach the landlord's insurance policy.
In addition to these issues, if not detected early enough, exterminating an infestation can be costly and require a lot of time and effort to ensure that the problem is properly handled. Plus, a pest problem can cause tenants to move out which will result in a loss of income for the landlord.
Furthermore, a previous pest problem can deter potential tenants from wanting to rent the property and impact its overall market value. All things considered, it’s beneficial to routinely inspect the property, follow proper garbage disposal procedures and instruct tenants on their duty to keep the rental clean.
Safe Outdoor Railings
Installing safe railings is an essential step in ensuring that your rental property meets the necessary safety standards. Railings provide a physical barrier between components of the home, such as stairs, balconies, window ledges, and any other areas that could be hazardous.
Properly installed railings have been found to reduce the risk of falls and injuries on slippery or sloped surfaces. Furthermore, they can also give occupants peace of mind while walking around in their own homes due to their protective design.
So make sure you take note of the building standards and regulations before installing a railing for your rental property. It’s an easy but important way to keep your tenants safe. Best of all, when tenants are happy, they’re more likely, to rent long-term.
Safe Paint
Another essential thing to do is to ensure that the paint used to refinish a house is non-toxic and does not contain lead. Lead-based paint can prove hazardous to the occupants of the home, as it can lead to physical illness due to long-term exposure.
The World Health Organization states that paint should always meet safety standards before being applied in any living space or other environments. Inspecting existing walls and structures prior to painting is also highly recommended, as older buildings may have been built with lead-based materials, thus requiring additional safety considerations when choosing new materials and coatings.
Landlords should double-check with their local building inspector to make sure they know which type of paint is most suitable for their re-painting project.
Bottom Line
It's important to make sure your rental meets safety standards not only for your protection but for the protection of your tenants. By following these tips and using the provided checklist, you can be confident that your rental is a safe place for everyone.
If you want to learn more about the process of safely checking your rental unit, it’s best to hire a property management company like Suncastle Properties. We are an experienced property management company in St. Augustine FL ready to help property owner maximize their ROI!