One anticipated time-honored tradition for renters and homeowners alike is decorating the house for the Christmas season. Many tenants want to adorn their eaves and windows with strings of lights, adding a cheerful twinkle to long winter nights. However, putting up Christmas lights on a house is tougher and not as safe as putting up other types of holiday decorations. Since everyone has different ideas of what is considered a tasteful holiday display, you can never be quite sure what the end result will be. There is more than one reason why St. Charles property owners and landlords should hesitate to let their renters hang Christmas lights on their own.
Consider the Risks
There are more than 1,000 serious injuries because of renters hanging Christmas decorations each year, as stated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Serious falls, electrical shocks, cuts, and abrasions, these are only some of the possible risks of hanging lights that send people to the emergency room.
Another liability risk concerns decorations that infringe the regulations of Common Interest Communities (commonly known as Homeowner Associations) and other local governances. A CIC, in particular, may have stringent rules about Christmas decorations. They list what kind of decorations and how many of each can be used. Some CICs also have rules about when the decorations can be installed and how long they can be on display. If your tenant violates CIC regulations, you may find yourself on the hook for fines, disciplinary action, or other unwanted consequences.
Keeping your property in compliance may mean that you need to tell your renters that they should avoid hanging their own Christmas lights. While no one wants to be a holiday grinch that stifles the fun, this is not something property owners can afford to leave to chance. There are just too many uncertainties when tenants do their own Christmas decorating, and many of these uncertainties carry with it a huge liability. As a result, it is necessary to talk with your tenants and identify what are suitable holiday decorating guidelines.
In Conclusion
No matter the season, it’s crucial to supervise your properties carefully, a service that is a vital part of the Real Property Management Gold approach to property management. Our expert property managers are conscious of the value of completing regular property evaluations and keeping your tenants protected and in observance of their lease. For more information, do not hesitate to contact us online or call us at 301-392-2172 today.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
