Do you allow tenants to hang stuff outside your properties?

Question

Do you have a rule in your lease to allow/disallow certain things to be hung outside your rental properties?

I know this is a vague question, so here are some specific examples:

(1) After washing clothes, tenant hangs clothes out to dry, so you have towels, panties, colored bras flapping in the wind. Would you allow this in the front yard where people walking by or driving by can see? If not would you allow it to in a fenced back yard?

(2) What about meat? Yes I have a friend who rented to someone who has a rack outside on a sunny day hanging meat, apparently to make jerky. He said it smell "funky", and had flies buzzing around the meat. I have heard of folks doing the same to make preserved fish.

(3) How about a string light? You know the ones with a cord and a bulb every 12" or so. If tenants were to hang one in the yard from one side of the house to a fence, and during a storm or hurricane can easily get shattered glass when these bulbs are slammed against the structures.

Does this depend on property's class? That this is more common in a class D than a class A?

Do you have any language in your lease agreement or tenant rule book to address this? If so please do share.

Billy Daniel · Answer

I would let them make the home their home. As long as they aren't damaging the property or upsetting neighbors, it should be fine.

Nathan Gesner · Answer

Yes. Holiday decorations can be put up two weeks prior to the Holiday and must come down one week after the Holiday. No flags, signs, stickers, etc. can be displayed where it is visible to the public or neighboring properties. The can decorate the back yard but it can't be an annoyance/disturbance to neighbors.

Theresa Harris · Answer

Clothes lines used to be pretty standard in most homes, but in the backyard. I'd have no problem if they had a clothes line or a clothes drying rack. Not so much if they were hanging clothes on a railing.

Drying meat, again it is outside often in a shed with doors, as long as it doesn't damage anything (ie protect the floor).

For lights, they can use clips to hang them like from gutters they do at Christmas.

Bob S. · Answer

You need to do a better job at screening. This is obviously a bad area, so now you have to deal with it, screening is very important

Ricardo R. · Answer

@sam no not necessarily and depending on the level the lease addresses this also depends on whether or not this is a multi-unit.

1) No in front yard; Yes in backyard ---- Reason: Unsightly and Blight and will eventually off put neighbors and will affect your value and next Tenant pool.

2) Same as #1 with another item of consideration; meat will attract vermin such as you mentioned it, flies but also others like rats, racoons, and other kinds. There should be a clear instruction on this addressed in the Lease or with your Tenant.

3) Yes, these are fine, and most times look good, most of the ones for exterior use are also made of shatter proof bulbs which are plastic, so no worries on bulbs shattering, if this is a worry of yours then just allow residents to us 'exterior use' string lights only.

This mostly depends not on property class but on A) Property Type and B) Neighborhood class

Allan Smith · Answer

My leases don't have rules about hanging things outside, but they do say tenant is responsible for negligence or damage. On meat and clothes I would live and let live. That's a c and d class thing for sure.

string lights I would just hold them to any damages from drilling holes in house etc.

Do you allow tenants to hang stuff outside your properties?

Do you allow tenants to hang stuff outside your properties?

Most Popular Reply

7 Replies