The Classic Property Management Blog

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As a landlord, you don't want to be Scrooge, but you have a strong interest in ensuring tenants carefully decorate for the holidays. Reasonable decoration rules are necessary to prevent property damage and personal injury. However, rules buried in a lease might not be on top of your tenants' minds when they hit the big holiday decoration displays at box stores. For this reason, you should send reminders about rules, regulations, and recommendations for decorating their rentals in the fall and winter seasons. Communicate Decoration Rules A property manager can send a seasonal newsletter or notice instructing tenants how to decorate safely and stay in compliance with their leases. Property management can remind tenants to: Use adhesive hooks and shelves instead of nailing decorations to doors, walls, or eaves Never block stairs, halls, or doors Follow the lease agreement about the size and placement of decorations Never use open flames Choose fire-resistant decorations Rental-Friendly Holiday Decorations The property management can recommend that tenants choose the following safe and non-damaging ways to deck the halls. Window Clings Window cling decorations apply to glass easily and leave little to no residue when you peel them off. They serve as an excellent way to display holiday spirit without adding onto your maintenance needs. Faux Fireplace Renters can buy fake fireplace kits for holiday decorating or get crafty and create one from cardboard. The Command brand of adhesive racks and shelves has many products that do not damage walls with nails or screws. A Command shelf can also work as a mantle where you display decorations or hang stockings. LED Light Strings Whether you’re displaying your spooky Halloween colors or turning your home into a winter wonderland, holiday LED lights produce bright colors without emitting high heat. Old-fashioned Christmas lights have always been a fire hazard and should be avoided at all costs. Also, in order to avoid property damage to your walls or roof, we recommend asking renters to hang lights inside and outside your home with adhesive clips. Tree Alternatives Some people like to have a “tree” for all holidays between October and November. Yes, Halloween trees are now in style! Leases may prohibit using a real tree for the holidays, but renters can still honor their traditions with a wall tree or small artificial tree on a counter or table. It’s even possible to make a wall tree with colorful washi tape cut to make the outline of a tree on the wall. Laser Lights People who rent houses or townhouses might be allowed to use laser light holiday decorations. They require mounting a small unit outside on the grass. They shine light on the exterior wall of the home. They are nice for rentals because no lights need to be hung from the building. You can also find battery-operated laser lights so you can avoid using an electrical cord. Remember, Keep Decorations Appropriate This guideline is especially true during the Halloween season. While it can be fun for people to get ghoulish with their decorations, there have been several news stories in the last few years where decorations have gone a little overboard. If you aren’t willing to have to settle down irate neighbors or explain your renter’s gore decor to the authorities, we recommend setting some boundaries as to what’s deemed appropriate within your rental contract. Keep Your Rental Properties Pristine with Classic Property Management If you need to develop a lease that establishes rules for holiday decorations, Classic Property Management can advise you. We’ve successfully helped landlords across the metroplex navigate this and other essential landlord responsibilities. From rent collection to having the right vendors on hand in an emergency, our best practices have you covered. Find out more about our full-service Dallas property management. Contact us today.

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