What included with a rental

Question

Do most landlords provide residents with refrigerators in there units or its more of a tenant responsible to purchase one?

Daniel Mohnkern · Answer

I provide a stove and a fridge but no laundry.  Whatever you decide, you may want to consider being consistent either way across the board.  It will make it more simple to know right of the bat what is yours and what is theirs.  If one property had them and one didn't, you might find yourself being talked out of your appliances when some tenants move out.

Steve Babiak · Answer

The first sentence of the quoted post here is what I consider to be the answer that matters - you need to do what it takes to get a tenant in your unit.

Now Ken is giving really good advice regarding documenting what is being supplied, but he omitted one critical detail - record the serial numbers of each and every supplied appliance as part of the lease or an addendum thereto. After all, there is only one appliance from that manufacturer that will have that serial number, and you are documenting that it is yours. And photograph the serial number plate for your records as further proof.

Back to the question in the OP. About a year ago I was chatting with a landlord mentor who asked about supplying refrigerators. In his 30+ years of being a landlord, he said he never supplied one. But he was getting applicants now that were expecting the refrigerator to be included with the rental unit. I asked him what was the competition near him doing. He said there were some owners that were renovating and supplying the refrigerator. I suggested he would have to step up and offer what the competition offers or face further difficulty in filling units with quality tenants. And that means maybe not getting paid, and that would be bad.

So, it's all about doing what it takes to get paid, and in the rental business that means having a tenant in the unit. ...

Jennifer T. · Answer

I think it really depends on both your market and your rental property.  Where I live, a fridge and a stove in rentals is pretty much expected and it would put me at a huge disadvantage to not have them.

In addition, most A Class rentals in my area will also expect a washer/dryer and dishwasher with a lot of B Class rentals also offering them.

Account Closed · Answer

I've never lived anywhere that I rented, where I would have to provide my own fridge and stove.  That said, I do know a landlord in Oakland who does not provide them.

However, most do not include a washer/dryer, even if there are hookups.  The ones that do, are the higher end rentals.

Tyler E. · Answer

From a newbie's point of view, I think it would be better (depending on your market I guess) to provide fridge and washer/dryer. If a tenant sees a place that has everything they need wouldn't that be more appealing to them?

Daria B. · Answer

I'm still learning on the appliances mostly for w/d.

Like @Scott WeanerI too provide w/d and the lease says not warrantied. I recently discussed this with my PM and their take is that they give the owner the choice of repairing/replacing even though the tenant knows it is being provided but not warrantied. All of their leases have this unless explicitly stated by the owner that they will repair/replace.

After reading a lot in the BP forums, and I know it depends on the area, I've seen a lot of posts where owners don't provide.

I only recently had a tenant put in a work request to have the washer looked at. Haven't heard back anything on it yet to make a decision. And this will be a first for me since all the appliances are within the last 5 years new.

Randy Landman · Answer

I use to offer a refrigerator for a little extra rent per month.  Most tenants would choose to save the money and  provide there own.   But I       have a duplex where the city now requires the landlord to provide the refrigerator.      It has to be there during the occupancy inspection before the tenant moves in.  So I raised the rent for everyone and provide it now.

Rick Bassett · Answer

We provide fridge, stove, built-in DW & built-in MW as well as hook-ups for W/D but no W/D no garbage disposal.

Scott Weaner · Answer

I have been providing them, but in the lease I mention that I will not be responsible for maintaining them.

What included with a rental

Most Popular Reply