The festive season is upon us, everybody is excited about celebrating the holidays, connecting with friends and families, or even traveling. As the holiday season sets in, property owners have a main concern which is usually home security. Properties tend to be at higher risks of break-ins or other security threats given that the tenants are usually away for long free periods.
What other measures can landlords take in order to protect the property even under the vacancy? After all, the security of a house consists not only of walls and locks; it goes down to the relaxation of the property owner as well as the tenants so that everybody celebrates Christmas and New Year’s in peace.
Read our article below as we explain what are the expectations of landlords about home security during holiday seasons.
Table of Contents
Landlords Responsibility for Home Security
1- Ensure Habitability
Since landlords have both moral and legal responsibilities to keep the properties they rent out habitable, it also includes ensuring that there is safety and security. And as the holidays are approaching when potentially the tenants will be on a long holiday, the property owners need to find ways to reinforce the in house security.
Securing the house is talked about mainly in terms of proper locking systems, security gadgets and sufficient lighting on the outside of the house. In addition to doing this, property owners need to ensure that they performed a preventive maintenance of doors, windows and any outdoor areas to ensure that there are no weak security points present.
Such actions like installing motion lights, security doors, or instruction for tenants on house security, are some of the few simple but effective actions. House security also extends to the resident as a tenant. Nevertheless, the safety of the structure and the premise where the tenant resides is also the duty of the landlord.
2- Regular Maintenance
The year-end festive season is a high season in security and one of the ways to ensure that the house is in safe conditions is through routine upkeeps. In this case, for the landlords, it means that all the properties’ security issues are resolved and in place before the tenants go away for a long time.
For example, ensuring that the windows and door locks are working properly, the alarm systems function correctly and that the external lights are also in good working condition prevents such security challenges.
In the situation where there are security cameras in use, such cameras should be tested to confirm they are functional and also fixed strategically for use in areas where access is likely.
A proactive rental property manager in Washington DC can help schedule regular inspections to ensure property safety while on vacation. This ensures that the house is fit for occupation throughout the year especially at risky seasons like Christmas.
Landscaping work is yet another dimension that is often overlooked but still ought to be looked into, for example, – overgrown shrubbery or even bushy trees may help a robber shield themselves while trying to break into the house, therefore such should be cut back.
Moreover, it is very important to attend to any broken or ineffective security gadgets without unnecessary delays. Fortunately, these measures are defensive towards your property and also reassure the tenants that their comfort is important.
3- Consider Additional Security Measures
Crime incidents in a rental property can eventually lower the property value if not prevented. It is for this reason that as a landlord, one should take extra initiatives to protect their property away from risks especially during the holidays.
In addition to such things as locks and alarms, other forms of protection such as security cameras or even motion sensor lighting on the exterior of the property should also be implemented. These act as a strong deterrent to potential criminals and makes the tenants feel more at ease within the house.
Moreover, another option is installation of smart home appliances as much as video doorbells and smart locks. These devices enable the tenants to manage entrance to the premises even when far away. Reinforcing the windows and doors with strong-quality materials is another way of increasing security without being overly aggressive.
Finally, instructing tenants on how to safeguard the property, for instance by advising them to always turn off all the windows and doors when going out, helps foster a culture of safety. All in all, it is worth noting how inexpensive improvements can have a positive effect on the security of the property during the whole year season.
Holiday-Specific Actions for Landlords
1- Communicate with Tenants
Check with your tenants whether they plan to stay during the holidays by discussing their plans with them. This will in turn, provide the opportunity to remind them about the safety procedures and guidelines, so that you are able to enjoy the holidays without stress.
If they will be away, for example you could offer to check whether the doors and windows are properly secured or help them protect any deliveries they expect to receive while away on holiday. If you have any security measures in place such as fur cameras systems and motion detector controlled lights, teach the tenants how to use it and why it is necessary.
Have a contingency plan in place along with instructions on how both will communicate while either is away. You may also have very useful suggestions such as telling your tenants to inform a reliable neighbor or friend to watch the house in case they will be gone for a long time.
To lessen any anxiety during the holidays, which involves worrying about uncompleted home repairs by you two, agree to handle all the maintenance issues before the holidays.
2- Fire Safety Precautions
With the Christmas season, the issue of fire safety becomes even more important because lots of tenants would use Christmas lights, candles, and additional heating systems, all of which pose the risk of fire.
If you are a property owner, you should have measures in place to protect the clients from such accidents. You should start with your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms and make sure they are in working order, replacing any old batteries if necessary.
Nevertheless, it is beneficial to discuss the use of this equipment including the fire extinguishers and how to use them with the tenants.
It is also essential to remind renters about basic fire control measures such as ensuring that the Christmas tree is regularly watered, and that no electrical cord’s outlet is over-posed with plugs.
Ensure that if the property contains a fireplace, that the chimney is thoroughly cleaned and checked before any usage. All these support and safety practices are quite helpful especially when they are provided as a checklist prior to the festive season since they create awareness of the issue and minimize the chances of fire outbreaks.
Conclusion
Although both landlords and tenants have an obligation to secure the home against risks of incidents during the holidays, the primary responsibility lies with the landlord. The high level of security inside the house can be achieved through various interventions by a landlord, which include preventative maintenance, enhancing security features and keeping the communication channels active among others.
In taking these measures, you help to safeguard your asset and enhance the confidence of the tenants, thus relieving every person concerned during this busy period of the year. They do this by ensuring that it is never put at risk, to the benefit of all parties concerned because they can relax during their holiday.
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