When you’re renting out a property in Washington State, ensuring the safety of your tenants is an important first priority. You want to make sure you are compliant with all habitability laws and requirements.
What does this mean as you’re preparing a property for the rental market, turning one over between tenants, or maintaining an occupied rental home?
It means ensuring there are no potential hazards such as fires and floods. It means providing your rental homes with the essential safety equipment so you can minimize the risk of accidents and injuries. You have to keep your investment both protected and compliant with tenant safety laws.
As you look for ways to ensure safety and compliance in your rental property, consider a checklist.
This will keep you organized and ensure that your safety precautions are complete and effective. As professional property managers, we are vigilant about safety.
Here’s what our checklist looks like.
Checklist Items: Property Safety
Keeping your property safe and habitable is non-negotiable. Everything must be working correctly. You cannot rent out a home that has smoking outlets or a strong smell of gas or a toilet that leaks every time it flushes. You don’t want trees that are in danger of falling onto roofs or walkways that are uneven.
Basic maintenance will ensure that your property continues to be in good, habitable condition.
But, you need to think beyond basic maintenance. Let’s take a look at the first four most obvious things that need to be on any safety checklist.
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Restricting Entry and Changing Locks
Re-keying the property during turnovers is an important safety precaution and must be done if you’re not using a digital keypad or some other keyless entry. Even if you are, there’s often a manual lock and key as a backup. Change those. You want to do this every time a new tenant is preparing to move in. This protects them and it protects your property. You’ll collect keys from departing tenants, but you never know how many copies were made while the tenant was living there. Smart locks or a digital keypad can be a great upgrade and will allow you to change the combination between tenants. You want to limit who has access to the property. Only you and your tenants should have the keys or access codes. |
DO DOORS AND WINDOWS LOCK?
Next on your checklist is the security of all your points of entry. We’re talking about doors and windows. Check the locks to make sure they work. Open and close every door and window. They should do this easily. Install deadbolts and peepholes on exterior doors so tenants can see who is outside before they open the door. Consider the trees, bushes, and electrical wires on the outside of your rental property. If there is a lot of foliage right in front of the house, you’re giving shelter to potential criminals who should not necessarily be lurking around the property. Keep the landscaping cleared so it’s easy for your tenants to get a look at the outside of their home. Make sure trees are trimmed back from the roof and wires aren’t’ in danger of collapsing. |
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Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are required in Washington State when you’re renting out a property. According to Washington State Law, smoke alarms must be located in each bedroom, in hallways outside of bedrooms, and there must be at least one smoke alarm on each floor of the home, including basements and habitable attics. |
Fire Extinguishers Fire extinguishers aren’t a legal requirement in most Washington State rental homes, but they’re a good idea to have. Tenants can easily contain small fires when they have access to a fire extinguisher. If you’re going to provide a fire extinguisher, keep it in an accessible location and check it annually. You are legally required to provide written fire safety information to your tenants. |
Stepping out of the checklist for a moment, let’s keep in mind some of what we’re talking about when we talk about fire safety information.
There are more fire hazards in your rental home than you may realize. Here’s what you need to check for when you’re inspecting the property or preparing it for a tenant:
- Vacuum out the dryer vents if you provide washers and dryers. According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than 15,000 residential fires per year are caused by clothes dryers.
- Check that your wires are working and properly insulated. Older homes may have faulty wiring that needs to be updated. If your property is over 20 years old, the electrical system may need to be completely overhauled.
- If an electrical outlet pops or the wires that plug into it get warm, it could be a fire danger. According to stats from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports, electrical outlets are involved in 5,300 fires, cause at least 40 deaths, and lead to more than 100 injuries every year.
Checklist Item: First Aid Kits
Provide first aid kits in your property at move-In. This contributes to a safe rental space and they can also come in handy if there’s an emergency.
Some people will be moving in with their own first aid kits. Great. It never hurts to have an extra one. Providing a move-in gift is a good way to establish a fantastic tenant relationship. When that gift is something practical and useful that keeps your space safe, even better.
Accidents happen, and it’s always a good idea to be prepared for them. Having a first aid kit in your rental home can help your tenants treat minor cuts, scrapes, and burns. You can buy a pre-packaged first aid kit or create one that’s customized to your tenant’s needs.
This is certainly not a legal requirement, and it’s not something a lot of landlords will think of. But, it lets the tenants know that you care about their safety. It lets them know that preparation is important when it comes to dealing with emergencies and unexpected problems. This little gift left in the bathroom or the pantry is a nice way to begin the tenancy and establish a positive landlord and tenant relationship. If it’s left behind after a tenant moves out, make sure you update and replenish the first aid supplies for your incoming resident.
Neighborhood Safety
If you’re renting out an entire building, you’re going to think about safety in common areas. Do you have an elevator? Handrails on the stairs? Is there an evacuation route printed and on display?
You need to think about building safety and neighborhood safety. Tenants want to live in communities that are safe and welcoming. To keep your property and your tenants safe within the larger community, here are some recommendations for your safety checklist.
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Look at Your Lighting Essentially, you want your neighborhood to be safe from crime. And, most criminals are going to seize on opportunity. Did you know that a well-lit home is less likely to be targeted by thieves, burglars, and criminals? Streetlights are good. Keep tenants safe with a bright light at the front of the property; on the porch or the front door. You’ll also want enough lighting on any walkways or paths from the parking area to the property. Consider motion lights, which will alert tenants that someone may be near the property. |
Is Your Rental in an HOA? If you’re renting out a property that happens to be in an HOA or a condo association, there will likely be security and safety protocols in place. Make sure you know what these are, and inform your tenants, too. There may be gate access codes, keys to the pool area or any common areas, and other rules and restrictions that need to be followed. Most HOAs will have a “see something, say something” policy or a neighborhood watch. Be involved and know what’s happening. |
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Consider Smart Home Tech There’s a lot you can do to keep your property safe within the neighborhood, thanks to new technology. Video doorbells, for example, are becoming extremely popular, in both single-family homes and multi-family properties. Tenants can see who is at the door by downloading an app. |
Have and Share an Emergency Plan Put together an emergency plan and share it with your tenants. This should include relevant phone numbers for local police and fire departments as well as hospitals, and other service providers. Your tenants need to know what to do if there’s a fire, flood, or a severe weather event that impacts the home |
Educate Tenants on Rental Home Safety
It’s hard to keep your tenants safe without their participation.
Here’s what we recommend for how to include and educate your tenants when it comes to safety at their home.
Create a Comprehensive Safety Guide
Create a detailed and user-friendly safety guide for your tenants. This guide can cover a range of topics, including many of the things we’ve already talked about, such as:
- Fire Safety Tips. Share basics on using fire extinguishers, the importance of not overloading electrical outlets, and regular testing of smoke alarms.
- Security Measures. Provide information on securing doors and windows, changing codes or locks if necessary, and the importance of outdoor lighting.
- Emergency Procedures. Outline steps to take in various emergencies, such as fires, gas leaks, or plumbing disasters. Include emergency contact numbers.
- Maintenance Requests. Provide clear instructions on how tenants can report maintenance issues or concerns that might pose safety risks.
You can also offer regular safety updates. Safety standards and recommendations can evolve. Offering regular updates via email or text can keep everyone informed about new safety features, reminders about daylight saving time changes for smoke detector batteries, or updates in emergency procedures.
How Safe is a Vacant Rental Property?
We have spent some time discussing how to keep your tenants safe when they’re living in your rental property.
What about safety when your property is vacant? This can be a source of stress for a lot of landlords. Not only are you facing a potentially expensive vacancy loss, you’re also dealing with the stress of ensuring there aren’t any thieves targeting your property or squatters hoping to take residence.
You don’t know what might happen while the home is left alone, with no one living there.
Vacant rental properties are especially vulnerable to safety issues. And, there’s no one in the home to report maintenance issues or repair needs, which means a small leak that’s undetected can quickly turn into a major plumbing issue.
There’s also the problem of opportunity. Criminals will see an empty property as an opportunity. Vacant homes could have their appliances stolen. You might find vandalism or damage due to people breaking in.
Take a few simple steps to ensure your vacant property remains safe, secure, and stable:
- Keep Utilities On During a Vacancy
After your tenant moves out of the property, contact your utility companies to switch the account back into your own name. You don’t want to leave your rental property without water, gas, or electricity. A dark home can easily look like an opportunity, and you want the property to look as normal as possible so there’s no risk of attracting the attention of those who may take advantage of an empty property. Install exterior lighting that turns on automatically in the evenings.
This is more than just a safety issue. By keeping the lights on and the water running, you’ll allow the property to remain accessible to any vendors or contractors who may be stopping by to do some turnover work. Having them around will certainly keep your property safer during the vacancy period.
You can also show the home better when the utilities are on. Tenants will likely want to test the water pressure and turn on the lights.
- Keep Up with Your Landscaping and Pest Control
Good landscaping leads to excellent curb appeal, but for the purposes of safety, it’s about more than that. You want to keep up with your lawn care while there’s no one living in your rental. It contributes to that sense of normalcy we said is so important. You don’t want the wrong person to notice your overgrown weeds and tall grass.
- Invest in Alarms or Security Systems
Install security cameras or alarm systems. Conduct inspections every few days to ensure everything is in order. Talk to the neighbors and ask them to report any suspicious activity they may notice.
Safety for the Rental Homes with a Pool
Pool safety is a big deal. The Washington State Department of Health has some pretty strict requirements and regulations when it comes to pools on rental properties.
| A barrier, such as a fence that is at least 4 feet high, must surround the pool or spa. | The gate or door must be self-closing and self-latching with the latch out of a child’s reach. | If the house serves as one side of the barrier, there must be an alarm on doors that have direct access to the pool. |
Restricting access makes your property safer because it can prevent accidental drowning. Any outdoor swimming pool, whether it is in-ground or above-ground needs to have a barrier and your tenants need to have all of the information they need on pool safety. Hire a pool service to clean and treat the pool so that there’s no risk of chemical spills or burns. Always check the structures around your pool fence. You don’t want anything that a child could use to climb up and get over the fence.
A Word about Insurance
Insurance won’t necessarily protect you or your tenants or your property from safety issues, but it can make you whole if you find yourself having to pay for damage or destruction that occurs at your property.
With a good insurance policy, you’re protecting your property against all the catastrophes that are hard to imagine as well as the liability that comes with renting out property to tenants.
Here’s your insurance checklist:
- Landlord Insurance
Most landlord policies will also cover structural damage, water damage, smoke damage, vandalism, and other events that happen at your property. It will also cover any of your own personal property that is inside the rental home such as appliances. You’ll want to make sure your landlord insurance policy covers loss of rent as well
- Renter’s Insurance
Any damage that occurs to your property will be covered by your own policy, but the tenant’s personal belongings likely will not be covered. We always recommend that landlords require renter’s insurance so you can be sure they’re covered. This is good for them and it’s also good for you because their own policy will be used first if there’s a loss that’s due to their own liability.
Protecting your property has to be a priority. Protecting your tenants is even more critical.
Let’s talk about how all of this information applies to your own property. Please contact us at Real Estate Gladiators. We serve Monroe, Issaquah, Bellevue, Everett, Lake Stevens, Kirkland, and other cities in and around King and Snohomish counties in Washington State.
