Although there are many Halloween traditions, it seems that the most popular one is trick-or-treating. To kids all around the country— including in Bothell— Halloween just means candy. No matter how your tenants want to participate in the festivities— either by trick-or-treating by going out or by receiving costumed guests for candies, there are some important things they have to go through to make sure the evening is a safe and enjoyable one for all. Now, as a property owner, regular tenant communication is a must. So, with Halloween coming close, this presents a great opportunity. You can use this holiday to open the lines of communication by providing some safety tips when trick-or-treating.
First, let’s look at a few simple safety rules that your tenants should abide by should they decide to go out trick-or-treating. A tip you can give your tenants is for them to place reflective tape on costumes or carry flashlights to help improve visibility while walking down dark streets. It also won’t hurt to provide some advice about costumes. Avoid masks that obstruct your vision and skip the oversized shoes, robes, or skirts that could cause someone to trip and fall. For safety purposes, encourage your tenants to secure all doors, douse any candles, and turn off all electronic decorations, when they leave the house. This is because of the risk that comes with unattended candles and electric decorations. These are actually some of the leading causes of residential fires on Halloween.
The second thing we’ll talk about is the giving end of trick-or-treating. We’re talking about how to properly prepare for visitors—as this is also very important when celebrating Halloween. As the property owner, you can begin with regular landscaping maintenance or ensuring that your tenants have done so. Clearing away overgrowth, low-hanging branches, and other potential hazards are a good idea to make the property ready for the trick-or-treaters.
Encourage your tenants to pitch in by clearing leaves and debris from sidewalks, driveways, and walkways, as well as removing any tripping hazards like garden hoses. It would be great if you also check up on the property’s exterior lights to see if they still work. And if you see any burned-out bulbs, you’ll have to replace them. As you go around checking the exterior lights, also observe if there are any dark areas. It would be best that these be illuminated with extra light sources, such as landscaping lights or even battery-powered tea lights in decorative bags. A clear and well-lit walkway is a safe walkway.
If your tenant plans to decorate the house with some jack o’ lanterns, then you should give them some advice on how to do it safely. First, make sure that doorways and walkways are kept free of candles and other hazards. To lessen the risk, suggest to your tenants to go for lighting sources that do not require an open flame. However, some tenants want to go traditional and use real candles in their decorating. In this case, make sure that they are placed at a safe distance from where visitors might be walking or standing. You must also see to it that any exterior decorations your tenant hangs up are properly secured. If a decorative item were to fall and injure a visitor or an improperly placed candle burns someone or starts a fire, this could result in a lawsuit against you as the property owner.
There are some additional things your tenant can do to prevent accidents and injuries on Halloween. If your tenant has pets and plans to give out candy on Halloween, they should be sure to keep their furry friends indoors and secured in a safe location. It’s the best thing to do for your pet. This sees to it that nobody gets hurt just because strangers keep walking up to the property and stress out the dog. Also, imagine getting sued because your tenant’s dog injured someone. That’s probably the last thing you’d want.
Your tenants should also be advised which items are considered safe and appropriate for trick-or-treaters of all ages. The popular option is store-bought, individually wrapped items. These are the best, provided that they are big enough to not pose as a choking hazard. In a lot of areas, families leave a bowl of treats outside. This is a good idea especially if your tenant is not planning to hand out candies themselves. This act helps keep your rental property from becoming the target of Halloween pranks and vandalism. On top of that, the kids would thank you!
Educating your tenants is really an important responsibility that falls on the shoulders of rental property owners but it takes a lot of time to do it. Since your real estate investing business demands so much time and attention from you, it might make sense to hire a Bothell property manager. Real Property Management Eclipse is an expert in the industry, providing services that allow you to spend your time on more valuable aspects of rental property ownership. If you want to know more about what we have to offer property owners like yourself, don’t hesitate to contact us online or call us at 425-209-0252.
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