Tenant-Requested Hot Tubs: Landlord’s Decision-Making Guide

As a landlord, you may encounter a predicament when your tenants ask to install a hot tub on your rental property. While it is a matter of fact that it can boost high tenant satisfaction and cost savings, hot tub installation has potential risks. If the hot tub malfunctions or causes damage to the property, you may be left with costly repairs and legal disputes. Furthermore, poor tenant maintenance can give rise to hygiene concerns or safety hazards.

In this case, before coming to a decision, it’s crucial to think about all the possible risks and benefits of allowing your tenants to install a hot tub. Look into consulting with legal or insurance professionals to make certain you are well-protected in case of any issues.

For property owners, deciding if tenants can have a hot tub places confidence in certain factors. There are very solid reasons for allowing or not allowing it. Here are several considerations for each option:

Reasons to Allow Tenants to Have a Hot Tub:

1. Attracting and Retaining Tenants: Extending amenities such as a sauna bath can make your property more appealing to potential tenants, giving you the opportunity to charge higher rent and retain tenants for a longer time.
2. Increased Property Value: Installing a hot tub can expand the overall value of your property, which can be great if you plan to sell in the future.
3. Competitive Advantage: In a lot of rental markets, establishing a hot tub can give your property a competitive edge over others, helping it to be more enticing and get rented more quickly.
4. Tenant Satisfaction: Tenants who truly enjoy the luxury of a hot tub may be happier with their living arrangements, which could bring about reduced complaints and satisfying relationships.

Reasons Not to Allow Tenants to Have a Hot Tub:

1. Maintenance and Costs: Hot tubs do require regular maintenance, particularly cleaning, water treatment, and imminent repairs. You may need to put up with these costs or pass them on to your tenants, which could scare quite a lot of renters.
2. Liability and Safety Concerns: Hot tubs can clearly pose safety risks. There is a risk of accidents, injuries, or even lawsuits if someone gets hurt. You may need to purchase additional insurance coverage to properly secure yourself.
3. Potential Property Damage: There’s a risk that the sauna bath could damage the property such as the deck or plumbing, which may require costly repairs.
4. Local Regulations: Lots of local municipalities and homeowners’ associations may have regulations or restrictions on putting up and using hot tubs. It’s beneficial to check and fulfill any such rules.
5. Increased Utility Costs: Hot tubs consume electricity and water, which could induce higher utility bills. Choose whether you or the tenant will cover these costs.

Assume you are actually considering allowing your tenants to put in a hot tub on your property. In this case, there are several very important considerations to always remember particularly ownership, the lease agreement terms, the removal and restoration process, cost responsibilities, and the approval process.

Drafting clear guidelines and rules in the lease agreement is strongly suggested if you come to a decision to permit hot tub installation. This can involve necessary issues for example maintenance and repair, responsibilities, and usage restrictions, which are focal to ensure the safety of your tenants and protect your property.

If you’re managing rental properties in Broken Arrow and would be looking for more applicable insights on how to write your lease agreement, the property managers at RPM Tulsa can effectively help. Contact us online or call us at 918-532-7020 today.