You might be debating whether or not to permit your tenants to use a grill if you own Charleston single-family rental properties. For a variety of reasons, such as the serious fire risk they present, the possibility of injury, and the potential for greasy messes, you might not want to permit grills on the property. However, these risks need to be weighed against how much your tenant will enjoy living in your rental property. The potential repercussions of banning grills range from annoyance to a disobedient tenant who brings a grill onto the property despite your requests. It’s crucial to weigh the benefits and drawbacks before deciding whether to permit grills for your tenants.
In American culture, barbecue grills and smokers are extremely common. About seven out of ten own one in the U.S. Grills, however, are cited as the cause of 10,600 home fires on average each year by the National Fire Protection Association. In addition, injuries caused by grills send nearly 20,000 people to the hospital’s emergency room annually. A large number of these fires and injuries are caused by gas or propane grills, which are the most popular grills on the market. Evidently, the risk of injury or fire alone is sufficient to prohibit grills from your property.
Grills may leave a mess behind, which is another drawback to allowing them. All grills can leave greasy messes on a deck or patio, and charcoal grills produce ashes. It is possible for your tenant to damage the property if they do not know how to properly dispose of the ashes 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. Cleaning up both messes is challenging. Additionally, the heat from a grill can cause damage such as melting vinyl siding, scorch marks on wooden decks or railings, and other things. 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. Probably the greatest advantage of allowing grills is that it will make your tenants happy and facilitate good tenant relations. Tenants want to enjoy living in their rental, and given the widespread popularity of grills, allowing them to have one may encourage them to remain in your rental property for a longer period of time.
It may also help to prevent lease violations when Charleston property managers permit their tenants to have a grill. It’s unfortunate, but there’s a good chance that your tenant will still bring a grill onto the property and attempt to hide it even if you tell them they can’t. Instead, you might think about letting your tenant have a grill as long as you take a few sensible safety measures. Electric grills, for instance, are safer and less likely to start structural fires than other grill types. This is because aren’t any open flames on electric grills. Although having an electric grill may not be your tenant’s first choice, allowing it could help you keep a good relationship with them while avoiding the more significant risks that come with having a gas or charcoal grill. Consider giving them advice on how to maintain and clean their grill as well. Ultimately, you might discover that reaching a satisfactory agreement regarding the grills is better for you and your tenant in the long run, especially if it means they’ll be more likely to abide by the terms of their lease.
Whether you should allow your tenants to have a grill ultimately depends on your rental property, your preferences, and the circumstances. Whatever you decide, it’s crucial to build a strong relationship with your tenant, include precise language in your lease, and respond to your tenant’s requests in a timely and professional manner.
Would you like to know more about maintaining a successful Charleston rental property and good tenant relations at the same time? Contact us online today or call us directly at 843-900-4061!
Originally published: March 12, 2021
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