If you own Allston single-family rental properties, you might be pondering whether to allow tenants to have grills. Grills present a significant risk of fire damage and injury and can produce tricky grease messes, so you may not want to allow them on the property. However, you should balance these risks with your tenant’s ability to enjoy living in your rental property. Tenants who reject your wishes and bring a grill onto the property despite your ban on them are among the issues that may arise as a result of prohibiting grills. Before deciding whether to allow your tenants to have a grill, it is important to consider both the benefits and drawbacks.
Grills and smokers are used a lot in American culture. Seven out of ten adults in the United States own one. But the National Fire Protection Association reports that grills cause an average of 10,600 residential fires per year. Additionally, nearly 20,000 people visit the emergency room annually due to grill-related injuries. The most common type of grill on the market, gas or propane grills are to blame for the majority of these fires and injuries. Clearly, it makes sense to forbid grills on your property if there is even a remote possibility of injury or fire.
A further drawback of allowing grills is the potential mess that they might create. Charcoal grills create ashes, and all grills can leave greasy messes on a deck or patio. Your tenant may harm the property if they do not know how to remove ashes properly or clean their grill with the proper cleaners. Many surfaces are difficult to clean of grease, and ashes left outside in the wind can coat the outside of the house. It’s challenging to clean up either mess. In addition, the heat from a grill can melt vinyl siding, scorch wooden decks or railings, and cause additional damage. You might believe that telling your tenant they can’t have a grill on the property is the best course of action because it can be difficult to predict whether they will use it responsibly and clean up after themselves.
Nevertheless, there are benefits to allowing your tenants to have a grill. Probably the most significant advantage is that allowing grills will increase tenant satisfaction and foster positive tenant relations. Given the widespread popularity of grills, allowing your tenant to have one may encourage them to remain in your rental property for a longer period of time.
When Allston property managers permit tenants to have a grill, it may also help avoid lease violations. It’s upsetting, but even if you tell your tenant they can’t have a grill, there’s a good chance they’ll bring one onto the property and then try to conceal it. Instead, you might think about allowing a grill while taking a few sensible safety measures. For instance, compared to other grill types, electric grills are safer and less likely to start structural fires. The reason behind this is the absence of open flames in electric grills. Allowing your tenant to have an electric grill may not be their first choice, but it may help you keep a good relationship with them while preventing the more serious risks posed by gas or charcoal grills. You might also consider giving them advice on how to maintain and clean their grill. In the long run, you may discover that reaching an amicable agreement regarding the grills is better for you and your tenant, particularly if it increases the chance that they will adhere to the terms of their lease.
In the end, the decision to permit tenants to have a grill depends on your rental property, personal preferences, and circumstances. However, regardless of your decision, it is essential to establish good communication with your tenant, include clear language in the lease, and respond to your tenant’s requests promptly and professionally.
Would you like to know more about maintaining a successful Allston rental property and good tenant relations at the same time? Contact us online today or call us directly at 617-299-2342!
Originally published: March 12, 2021
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