Adorning the home with garlands and lights for the Christmas season is a time-honored tradition for renters and homeowners alike. Many tenants want to adorn their eaves and windows with strings of lights, adding a cheerful twinkle to long winter nights. However, decorating a house with Christmas lights is more difficult and more dangerous than putting up other holiday decorations. You can also never be quite sure what the final product will be, as everybody has varying concepts of what constitutes a tasteful holiday display. For more than a single reason, landlords and Waco property owners should rethink letting their renters hang Christmas lights on their own.
Consider the Risks
On the authority of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are more than 1,000 serious injuries triggered by hanging Christmas decorations each year. Falls, electrical shocks, cuts, and abrasions– especially if they’re severe enough to send people to the emergency room– are some of the injuries that are regarded as latent dangers of hanging lights.
Another liability risk involves adornments that violate the specifications of Common Interest Communities (commonly known as Homeowner Associations) and other local governances. A CIC, in particular, may have strict rules about the type, quantity, and duration of display of Christmas decorations. They may specify what kind of decorations can be used, how many of these decorations are permitted, 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.
To make sure that your property is in compliance, you may have to restrict renters from hanging their own Christmas lights. While nobody wants to be a holiday grinch and steal the joy of Christmas, there is a tremendous liability that develops when tenants are allowed to do their own Christmas decorating. The risks involved means that this is not something property owners can afford to leave to chance. That’s why it is necessary to talk with your renters and define what is considered sensible 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 Talent approach to property management. Our expert Temple property managers recognize the worth of completing regular property evaluations and looking after the safety of your tenants and complying with their lease. For more information, do not hesitate to contact us online or call us at 254-401-0400 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.
