Do you provide fridge for you Rentals?

Joe S.Pro Member

Investor · San Antonio · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes

So I have some of my properties that already come with the fridge so I leave them. I have one property I just finished rehabing that’s basically a $2000 a month rental. I did not put a fridge in it, but my Property Manager suggested I do. Oddly enough I had another Property Manager that manages some other rentals for me in another area that suggest I not put refrigerators in properties and said that the tenants do not take care of them. So basically I have two experts saying something totally different from one another. Lol

Do you put refrigerators in Your rentals and if so what kind do you get?

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Nathan GesnerBusiness Member

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Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes

People expect major appliances and hardly any renters move around with their own fridge or stove. You also have to consider the increased risk of damage from moving appliances in/out, especially if it's anything with a water connection.

Yes, tenants damage appliances, but it's typically a broken shelf, door bar, or crisper drawer. You replace them, charge the tenant, and move on.

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Anna Watkins
Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2014 · 389 posts · 250 votes
4y
I agree absolutely with the crowd. People rent because they don't own a house or want to own a house. Who's got the wherewithal to haul around a refrigerator??? I woudn't rent in a place that expected me, a renter, to bring a needed/required appliance, and I don't expect anyone else to either. My lease includes a clause that says "the appliances that are here when you move in have to be the same appliances that are here when you move out." The nicer the house & higher the rent, the nicer level of appliances.
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Matt M.
Specialist · Easton, PA · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
4y
@Nathan G.
I’m getting $1400 for a sfr I paid $40k/15k rehab in 2019, and $1450 for $60/15k also 2019. No fridges in either. No need for me to spend another nearly $2k on throwaway fridges. I wouldn’t get any more rent providing a fridge.
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Joe HammelBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Metro Detroit, MI · Member since 2018 · 612 posts · 666 votes
4y
@Joe S.
I always put a $1k, Home Depot stainless fridge, in mine. Haven’t found a reason not to.
In theory, I feel appliances attract more demand.
My logic is, (being a real estate agent) I see how much of a premium buyers will pay for “turn key, move in ready” houses.
So I feel renter demand for “turn key move in ready” rentals would be similar.
Haven’t been proven wrong…
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John MorganPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Grand Prairie, TX · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
4y
I buy new or used ss fridges for all of mine. I spend around $700-$1000 for them.
2 Reply
Susan Maneck
Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 769 votes
4y
HUD requires that Section 8 tenants be provided with stoves and refrigerators so unless a tenant tells me they have their own, I provide them. No, I don't have that many Section 8 tenants but I do want to be prepared for them. What I don't do is repair ice makers. If they create problems, I just disconnect them. If the house came with a dishwasher I will replace them when they breakdown. Only once did I provide a washer and dryer and the tenant stole them when they were evicted!
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David Dachtera
Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
4y
Quote from @Russell Brazil:

Everey property in the the northeast both for sale and rent come with appliances. I always find it odd thats not the case in the midwest.

Some places consider the fridge a personal item. Not sure why.
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Keenan Fitzpatrick
Flipper/Rehabber · Anchorage, AK · Member since 2017 · 223 posts · 177 votes
4y
@Joe S. I’d look for more info on why each of them recommend that. You have a newly remodeled property for $2k/month. It sounds like it’s nice and getting a premium for its size. Bad tenants don’t tend to rent premium rentals. I would provide a fridge but maybe you don’t have to provide a washer and dryer. I provide them all in my remodeled units but I have also had to learn the hard way on how to have verbiage in my lease about normal west and tear and maintenance on appliances. My advice is to provide everything and add additional verbiage to your lease to make sure the tenants are responsible for not abusing the appliances AND do mid lease inspections to ensure they are not abusing the property. Or you could just put it on Air BnB 😆
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Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
4y
Quote from @Russell Brazil:

Everey property in the the northeast both for sale and rent come with appliances. I always find it odd thats not the case in the midwest.

in our new construction we do NOT provide refer or washer dryer.. supply chain is so fouled up.. and that way we dont have to warranty them and sure enough they get dinged then we have to replace them.. so NO never provide refer or washer dryer in our new construction many do but we wont.
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Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
4y
Joe in C D class I have seen this done quite a lot.
when tenant moves in landlord tells them the refer and stove are theirs to take with them as such they are yours to maintain. they buy cheap used ones .. tenants now ( at least accordoing to these clients of mine) take better care of them because they now own them and can take them with them or sell them when they leave. But agree with potential damage to your door jams and floor though
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Roman G Wippel
Contractor · Augusta, GA · Member since 2021 · 10 posts · 5 votes
4y
@Joe S. Simply put, yes. It is easier just to provide one, besides it is a tax write off.
2 Reply
Nate Sanow
Investor & Agent · Tulsa, OK · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y
I recently tried to be a tightwad about this and… that didn’t go well. Definitely think providing saves some time if not money.
2 Reply
Jeremy Komer
Rental Property Investor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2020 · 84 posts · 81 votes
4y
@Joe S
Renting for me was only 2 years ago, and I would think it extremely strange not to get major appliances included in rent. Apart from maybe a washer dryer depending on where I lived.
2 Reply
Sheena DrakePro Member
Member since 2020 · 81 posts · 37 votes
4y
We provide (in our rehab houses) a stove, refrig that are well maintained but used (around $400 each). The refrig does not have an ice maker as we have heard to may horror stories about the damage due to unsuspected water leaks. We do provide new dishwasher as most used appliance stores around us do not refurbish used ones due to high cost and unreliability. If I were choosing between paying $50 more per month for use of dishwasher vs kitchen without........I know I wouldn't hesitate for paying more. We also don't want tenants moving anymore appliances if it can be avoided, as they tear the hell out of the flooring. That being said, we don't provide washer or dryer because they invite their friends over to the laundry (even though they pay the water bill). These rentals were purchased for 25K-34K and rehabbed with 20K per rental. rents $750-1000. If I can attract and keep a decent renter by providing the above items, I'll happily "eat" the $1500 in original appliance costs. My $.02
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Jerry W.Pro Member
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Investor · Thermopolis, WY · Member since 2012 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
4y
@Joe S., I think it depends on your local market. You are competing with local landlords, what do they provide? I can tell you in my area not having a fridge would have a negative effect on being able to rent. I buy either 18.5 or 21.5 CU top freezer fridges for about $600 when they come on sale at sears. They are Maytags, and I try to have at least one extra in the warehouse. On the first problem I call the local repair shop who comes to our area twice per week. If I have a second major problem I replace it. In my nicer rentals I put a side by side fridge with water and ice in the door. I believe it gives me a huge leg up on the competition. I do stainless steel in my nicer houses. The $100 extra is a small price over time. Getting my rental full quickly is major. I also keep extra stoves, and water heaters in the warehouse. I try to have a washer/dryer available for each of my SFR rentals if I can find them cheap at yard sales. I occasionally put them in apartments. It is in my lease that we do not repair the washer dryer if it breaks down. I try to always be a tiny bit nicer that other units if possible.
2 Reply
Micah Haworth
Rental Property Investor · Des Moines, IA · Member since 2020 · 56 posts · 36 votes
4y
@Russell Brazil I love in the Midwest and when I rented they always provided a fridge
2 Reply
Tim Grich
Investor · Member since 2020 · 23 posts · 8 votes
4y
New twist on the question now that there have been many replies....
For those of you who do provide a fridge/appliances, do you include or not include a clause in the lease specifying that the tenants is responsible for the repair of said appliances?

1 Reply
Jonathan Dickerson
Rental Property Investor · Aurora, CO · Member since 2014 · 22 posts · 23 votes
4y
Advice I received from a very well-to-do landlord here in Denver (with 50+ paid-for SFHs) is never include a fridge with ice/water in the door. That fridge feature is the #1 source of fridge repair requests because those parts routinely break. And unless you can prove it broke due to tenant negligence, the security deposit can't be used to fix it which will leave you on the hook every time.
1 Reply
Kuriakos Mellos
Member since 2020 · 132 posts · 90 votes
4y
Joe - not sure what other comps are in the area, but moving large appliances is a burden for tenants. (And more opportunity for damaging walls and floors). I get basic fridges (no ice makers) in the majority of my rentals and have been smart about when I bought them. (Thanksgiving day sales are always great to go shop for appliances.)
1 Reply
Markis R Kelly
Investor · Cary, NC · Member since 2019 · 25 posts · 29 votes
4y
Normally I provide those things as it a write off anyway come tax time. Its easier to get tenants into properties that already include these items but I really think it depends on the area. If you were selling it without the refrigerator that one thing and its normal after a major rehab was done to sell without a fridge. Me personally, the only appliance I don't provide is a washer and dryer in my rental units unless it was already was there when I purchased it. The reason is because its more common for someone to want to bring their own washer and dryer.
1 Reply
Scott JohnsonBusiness Member
Specialist · Greenville, NC · Member since 2019 · 673 posts · 408 votes
4y
Quote from @Joe S.:

So I have some of my properties that already come with the fridge so I leave them. I have one property I just finished rehabing that’s basically a $2000 a month rental. I did not put a fridge in it, but my Property Manager suggested I do. Oddly enough I had another Property Manager that manages some other rentals for me in another area that suggest I not put refrigerators in properties and said that the tenants do not take care of them. So basically I have two experts saying something totally different from one another. Lol
Do you put refrigerators in Your rentals and if so what kind do you get?

I always PLAN to have a fridge. Have the property manager get it leased, letting the tenant know that there’s currently not a fridge. Have the PM ask if they’ll be bringing their own, and if not get the tenant a delivery date as to when they can expect it, so they can adjust their move in accordingly.
If they’re not bringing their own, they understand that there’s a fridge coming.

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Joe S.Pro Member
OP
Investor · San Antonio · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
4y
Quote from @Scott Johnson:

Quote from @Joe S.:

So I have some of my properties that already come with the fridge so I leave them. I have one property I just finished rehabing that’s basically a $2000 a month rental. I did not put a fridge in it, but my Property Manager suggested I do. Oddly enough I had another Property Manager that manages some other rentals for me in another area that suggest I not put refrigerators in properties and said that the tenants do not take care of them. So basically I have two experts saying something totally different from one another. Lol
Do you put refrigerators in Your rentals and if so what kind do you get?

I always PLAN to have a fridge. Have the property manager get it leased, letting the tenant know that there’s currently not a fridge. Have the PM ask if they’ll be bringing their own, and if not get the tenant a delivery date as to when they can expect it, so they can adjust their move in accordingly.
If they’re not bringing their own, they understand that there’s a fridge coming.

I believe that’s what I will tell the PM. We will be providing a fridge if they do not have one.
1 Reply
Scott JohnsonBusiness Member
Specialist · Greenville, NC · Member since 2019 · 673 posts · 408 votes
4y
Quote from @Joe S.:

Quote from @Scott Johnson:

Quote from @Joe S.:

So I have some of my properties that already come with the fridge so I leave them. I have one property I just finished rehabing that’s basically a $2000 a month rental. I did not put a fridge in it, but my Property Manager suggested I do. Oddly enough I had another Property Manager that manages some other rentals for me in another area that suggest I not put refrigerators in properties and said that the tenants do not take care of them. So basically I have two experts saying something totally different from one another. Lol
Do you put refrigerators in Your rentals and if so what kind do you get?

I always PLAN to have a fridge. Have the property manager get it leased, letting the tenant know that there’s currently not a fridge. Have the PM ask if they’ll be bringing their own, and if not get the tenant a delivery date as to when they can expect it, so they can adjust their move in accordingly.
If they’re not bringing their own, they understand that there’s a fridge coming.

I believe that’s what I will tell the PM. We will be providing a fridge if they do not have one.

Awesome. Yup, just set the expectation and be totally transparent with the tenant. It's hard to lose that way!
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1 Reply
Tony Kim
Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles · Member since 2018 · 844 posts · 1k+ votes
4y
Quote from @Joe S.:

What kind of fridge and price range do you provide?

@Nathan Gesner

I always use a small local used appliance store. Not only are they much cheaper, it's also much more convenient using them because I walk in, select the appliance for about 300-400, and they deliver right away..or at worst within a few days. Also, they are really great about repairs. The appliances I get from them have been every bit as reliable as buying them new from HD or Lowes.
1 Reply
Ragnar Lothbrok
Utica, MI · Member since 2017 · 26 posts · 10 votes
4y
@Joe S.
Probably a good idea. I usually get some $100 beater from the 80's off Craigslist. Moreso if it's going into a nice kitchen, I might throw in an extra $25 to find one that looks brand new.
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Joe SplitrockPro Member
Moderator
Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
4y
This can be regional. Having a fridge is expected in most parts of the country. Every rental in my market includes a fridge, even low end properties. I have had a couple cases where the tenant removed and installed their own. The higher quality the rental, the nicer the fridge. Don't put a tiny fridge in a big house. I try to put the biggest fridge that reasonably fits. Nobody wants a tiny crappy fridge.
@Russell Brazil I think most of the midwest does have appliances. It is just a couple rougher markets where it seems optional.
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