Tenant wants to have satellite dish installed?
Our tenants want to have satellite TV and have asked if they can have a satellite dish installed through Century Link on our SFR at our tenants' expense. When we bought our SFR, there was already a satellite dish on the roof.
Is this something we shouldn't have problems with?
My issue is that you can end up with a collection of unused dishes and not know what is hooked up and what is dead weight. Put something in place in your lease or an addendum that they have to take it with then when they leave, because the next satellite company will add yet another dish.
And if there is an existing dish that is not used, have them take it down, or pay to take it down, before the new one is put up.
It may not be a big issue on a SFR, but on a multi-family, it looks a forest of dishes without knowing which dish goes to which apartment.
I think they are ugly and I don't like unnecessary holes being drilled into my property, but I guess it is not enough reason to say no. I've heard rumors that it is not legal in my state to forbid them, I don't know if that is true. I also echo everything Ann said, except you may way to take charge of removing the old one yourself so you can make sure the hole is properly caulked to prevent water/air from infiltrating.
It is not legal anywhere to forbid them. However, it is legal to prohibit building damage. Improperly-installed dishes can lead to water intrusion and there mold and rot. One way to avoid that issue is to require that the dish be installed on a free-standing pole.
Originally posted by Stephen Masek:
It is not legal anywhere to forbid them. However, it is legal to prohibit building damage. Improperly-installed dishes can lead to water intrusion and there mold and rot. One way to avoid that issue is to require that the dish be installed on a free-standing pole.
I am confused...are you saying it is illegal everywhere to forbid satellite dishes?
I hate those things. The installers will take the path of least resistance to install the dish and usually that means drilling holes through the roof/walls/block etc. Very rarely do they seal the holes properly and they've just created a vector for water intrusion.
in the past, i used to make them install dishes on the side of the buildings..never on the roof..now i think it's best to install a 6x6 post on each end of the building into the ground, and that's where they can install satellite dishes...they can run the wire from the post to the apartment
Originally posted by Bryan A.:
in the past, i used to make them install dishes on the side of the buildings..never on the roof..now i think it's best to install a 6x6 post on each end of the building into the ground, and that's where they can install satellite dishes...they can run the wire from the post to the apartment
They still will drill a hole somewhere to run the cable into the house unless they can piggy back on some other existing hole. My experience has been that the installers would rather just bust out the hammer drill and go strait through the wall rather than taking the time to do things tidy.
I wired my rental for cable so there are all interior drops and no holes in the walls. The tenant is not allowed to put holes of any kind in my property, but it is a non-issue b/c every room has a cable drop. They are all home runs to the outside by the electic meter so there is no need to wrap the house with wire anywhere. I'm sensitive to this because I installed cable for 5 years....And I know them tenants gonna want em some cable.
Originally posted by Bryan A.:
in the past, i used to make them install dishes on the side of the buildings..never on the roof..now i think it's best to install a 6x6 post on each end of the building into the ground, and that's where they can install satellite dishes...they can run the wire from the post to the apartment
Also, I would have a post installed for a dish. I believe dish installers will do it for a fee. I would make sure we are all clear on where the post goes. I don't know about dish technology evolution much, but at least up until recently, line of site has been important for dishes, so I would recommend meeting with the installer to determine where the post should/can go as it is site specific (or at least it used to be).
Its a small thing that you might not want to deal with, but if you don't take care of it yourself or aren't there during the install (who wants to schedule time for a tenant utility hookup?) the installer will likely not do a very good job.
Originally posted by James Vermillion:Originally posted by Stephen Masek:
It is not legal anywhere to forbid them. However, it is legal to prohibit building damage. Improperly-installed dishes can lead to water intrusion and there mold and rot. One way to avoid that issue is to require that the dish be installed on a free-standing pole.I am confused...are you saying it is illegal everywhere to forbid satellite dishes?
There are several exceptions to the law, but in general you cannot restrict the installation of a dish or antenna. This is a result of the 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act and the FCC rulings providing interpretation.
Here is a guide: http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-rule
my tenants have window A/C units, so that's where the satellite cable enters...however, even if they have to drill a small hole to feed the cable into a buiding, i sure do prefer that over an entire dish and bracket drilled into a building
Originally posted by Brad B.:
There are several exceptions to the law, but in general you cannot restrict the installation of a dish or antenna. This is a result of the 1996 Federal Telecommunications Act and the FCC rulings providing interpretation.Here is a guide: http://www.fcc.gov/guides/over-air-reception-devices-rule
Good to know...thanks for the info (thats why I am not a landlord yet).
But really, if there is a way to install a dish without damaging the house (which there is) why would you prohibit it? When it comes to TV, that is one thing that renters are going to want to have their choice of. I just think it is one of those things that should be available to them so that they are happy.
I have found through being on a Condo/Townhome Assn Board that putting satellites on the roof can invalidate the existing roof warranty. Our townhomes must get Board Approval for the installation of any satellites, otherwise they must remove them and subject to fines .
I also co-managed/co-owned a 2 flat in the city and we had new roof put on. In order to keep the roofing warranty valid, the satellite dishes had to be put on the side of the building. Also, one of the tenants wanted cable, so they got permission to install and I had to sign authorization to the cable company to authorize this installation.
The tenants usually have to provide written proof of permission to allow installation. In the permission letter I stipulate where the dish may be installed. If it has to be on the roof it has to be installed near the edges of the roof over the eves. If the happens to be a roof leak maybe it won't go into the house.
I have the installer use a recessed eve mount. It costs $34 and mounts with lag bolts into the facia under the eve. The installers will use them always on tile roofs but if you request it they will use them for any property. The customer is typically charged an extra $50 for this type of install but it is what I require.
I know the original question was about a SFR, but this just came up with my multifamily bldg and I think the rule is pretty interesting for multifamilies:
My understanding of the rule is that in a multifamily bldg it only protects the tenant's right to install a dish within their own exclusive rented space. A landlord can forbid a tenant from installing dishes on the roof or attaching to exterior walls or any other common areas. This makes sense as the tenant has no exclusive right to use those areas so they can't install their own stuff there. Also, the rule goes on to say that a LL may prohibit a tenant from drilling holes through exterior walls.
Therefore, it seems like the only place a tenant in a multifamily has the absolute right to install a dish (that would actually be capable of reception) is on a south facing deck or porch since the dish must face south. If they don't have one then they really don't have anywhere to install a dish. And, even if they do have such a deck or porch the LL could prohibit them from drilling holes in the exterior walls to run the cable inside. So, unless there is already some sort of connection in place from the deck or porch to the interior of the apartment. They're out of luck.
Originally posted by Greg B.:
The tenants usually have to provide written proof of permission to allow installation.
Maybe now but I don't think that wasn't always the case. I have gone to make ready a few of my SFH and found an extra dish on the roof.
The last time a tenant asked I said no. You have fiber optic cable for TV - use that. I now stipulate in the lease - no damn dishes. They put holes in the roof and the installers just run the cable anywhere and through anything.
Darn it, I really had no idea that there was an FCC rule and the tenant has the right to a dish. From reading it also appears that even forbidding to drill holes for the cable seems to be illegal, since it would "unreasonably delay or prevent installation".
Maybe you can start by simply forbidding a CenturyLink service, you will do your tenant a favor :) Sorry, recent bad experience. But then it's a horse a piece with all those crooks anyway.
Yep this is one of those rules that's counterintuitive and could definitely trip up a landlord.
But rest assured, you don't have to allow the tenant to drill holes. In fact, the FCC website expressly discusses this.
If the tenant's rented space doesn't include an area that would work for the dish then they are out of luck. For example, if they have no deck you don't have to allow them to attach it to the side of the building or roof. The landlord is simply prohibited from prohibiting dishes in the tenant's exclusive space.
Practically speaking this means they need a south facing deck, porch or yard, or possibly a window if that would work.
Just an update. We've decided to ask our tenants to put their satellite dish on a pole that they'll pay for themselves. They tell me that Century Link will use the existing cable on the unused existing dish on the roof so there won't be any drilling, fortunately. We decided to have the dish installed on a pole so that future tenants won't have to mess with the roof if satellite dishes are requested.
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I would check with the specific Satellite company and find out their policies, etc. In California alot of people use Dish and Direct TV, so leaving the satellite in place works. If the company is the one used by most of the people, then there's value to your tenants in leaving it up. I would find a service that is the most used, have them install the dish, and from then forward say "X satellite available" and not allow others, stopping the problems Ann refers to.
Originally posted by James Vermillion:Yes, and Bill E provided more details.Originally posted by Stephen Masek:
It is not legal anywhere to forbid them. However, it is legal to prohibit building damage. Improperly-installed dishes can lead to water intrusion and there mold and rot. One way to avoid that issue is to require that the dish be installed on a free-standing pole.I am confused...are you saying it is illegal everywhere to forbid satellite dishes?