How to Know if Your Rental Meets Safety Standards

One of the core duties of a landlord is ensuring that tenants have a safe place to live. This is conducted most effectively when a landlord takes all the precautionary measures necessary to keep rentals secure.

Simply focusing on external threats such as thieves and vandals is not the only area to focus on. Keeping the property safe entails inspecting the minor details of the home in a scheduled pattern.

If you want fewer problems and complaints from tenants in the future, be safety-conscious. Each state has created accountability standards for landlords through specific landlord-tenant laws.

As a rental property owner, you’re expected to comply with all relevant safety regulations, which is why many property owners pass off this responsibility to experienced property management companies. Other than performing your legal responsibilities, you'll want to practice safety all around to protect your property from deterioration and keep your property's value high.

What To Check To Ensure Your Rentals are Safe

Gas Heater

Faulty gas heaters can result in health problems and gas poisoning. In truly unfortunate circumstances, a gas leak can even start a fire in your property. It’s hard to detect carbon monoxide, since it lacks odor and color.  Dangerous fumes can cause dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath. 

Here are some steps landlords can take to ensure gas heater safety:

Regularly service the gas heater: Every 2 years, you can have your gas heater inspected by a licensed gasfitter. You should also have it inspected earlier than the 2 year period has elapsed if you spot the following troubling signs: discolored walls due to heat damage, walls that are hot to the touch, and the appearance of soot stains surrounding the heater.

Install a carbon monoxide detector: Purchasing a detector can be a useful precaution. It should be set up as near to your gas heater as possible. Ensure that the alarm can be heard in the sleeping quarters so tenants will be alerted right away if there’s an emergency.

Heating System

Another cause of emergencies from gas poisoning or fires can be be a faulty heating system.

It's important for new landlords to be aware that a malfunctioning gas heater during cold winter months can itself be classified as an emergency. Occupants could freeze in sub zero weather, as was recently seen in during the 2021 Texas Power Crisis.

This is a serious reason to ensure that the heater is functional and ready for the cold season.

Here are some ways to protect your property's heating system:

Annual checkup: Each heater should be inspected each year. It’s required to have adequate ventilation, as well.

Protective screens: If you have chimneys, stoves, or fireplaces, it’s essential to include screens. It can be easy for fire to get out of control when there is combustible material nearby. Prioritize safety by putting screens to keep the fire contained.

Plumbing

Plumbing problems are fairly common. It's not rare for landlords to be confronted with leaks, blocked toilets, or even flooding. Burst water pipes can also occur, particularly in colder states.

The danger in plumbing issues is mainly that your property may be affected by water damage, which tends to be costly.

Water creates plenty of side problems as well. For example, an area continually exposed to moisture and humidity can result in mold presence. 

To counteract this problem, you can:

Clean gutters and drainage systems frequently: Remove blockages so that water can flow as it should. During the rainy season and autumn, it’s especially important to double your efforts. The wind and the abundance of dead leaves make it easy for gutters to get clogged.

Use well-designed materials: To minimize broken pipes, you can also opt to install waterproof ventilated pipes. Even if good materials are pricier, you will save money in the long run. Use sturdy faucets to prevent water leaks. It will save you from paying for an exceedingly expensive water bill.

Electricity

Make sure that only certified specialists conduct home inspections to ensure your electrical system is up-to-date. If your rental home is old, you should upgrade the electrical systems. Otherwise, circuits can be overloaded and fire could result. 

To avoid this risk, you can:

Test safety switches: With regular testing, you can ensure your electric system is working properly. This prevents fires and electric shocks.

Safety switches provide you with security by ensuring that there’s no electrical fault.

Use GFI outlets: GFI or Ground Fault Interrupting Outlets can save lives. This is why they're required by the National Electric Code.

However, older homes and buildings don’t always have these safety devices installed, rendering them unsafe. If your rental is old, you can install a GFI breaker. For help, consult a licensed electrician.

Safety Systems

Security systems can have a number of benefits for your rental property. They deter criminals from entering the unit and keep your tenants safe.

If your property is in between tenants, a security system becomes even more necessary. When you're not in the property 24/7, the next best thing is to have remote monitoring of the units.

Here are gadgets to invest in to secure your unit:

Smart deadbolt/ siren padlock: Coupled with a built-in alarm, this will frighten away intruders at the first sound. You can also install a siren padlock with built-in sensors. You can easily receive an alert when someone fiddles with it the lock.