Who is responsible: tenant or landlord?

Question

I've just recently taken over managing my properties from a property manager only to find smoke alarms chirping and no furnace filters changed out.....ever.  I replaced batteries and filters in 2 units but I'm sure the rest of them have not been replaced either.

My question: do you guys charge your tenants for filters and batteries or simply expect them to take care of it themselves?  Yeah right!  Or do you simply count it as the cost of doing business and eat it?

Todd Dexheimer · Answer

When a new tenant moves in we show them how to change filters, batteries, light bulbs, tighten the p-traps, unclog drains, turn of water supply lines, etc. We then give them an instruction manual and are in the process of making videos. With that we give them 12 furnace filters, batteries, a zipper (the plastic drain cleaner). We also send out monthly emails in the winter as reminders to change furnace filters and check their detectors. We then stop by at the start of winter and then 3 months after that to check on filters and the house in general.

Mindy Jensen · Answer

Not only do tenants not change the filters, ever no matter how many you give them, owner occupants don't do it either.

I'm inside a lot of houses, and I always check the furnace filter. 100% of the time, it's black as midnight.

Kaycee Miller · Answer

It is absolutely a renter responsibility to change the filters. But I don't think renters know or care enough to do it themselves. Set up reminders to send your tenants every three months to change the air filters. Do a six-month inspection, like @Roger Sandmann recommends, and  when you check the filter and discover it hasn't been changed, even after you reminded them, it will show them how serious you are. You can give your tenants a filter this one time, and show them how easy it is to change. Let them know this one is a gift, but per their lease it is their responsibility to change them. Remind your tenant that they are super affordable. But if you discover they haven't been changing the filter during the next inspection, they will be charged a lease violation fee and have to pay for the cost of a new replacement filter which you install.

JD Martin · Answer

Wouldn't happen to us (even if we used professional PMs): I take the garbage disposal out of all rental properties. They're nothing but trouble and dangerous besides. Disposals come out and icemakers are capped. Both are damage waiting to happen.

JD Martin · Answer

Tenants are responsible but they never do it. We check filters whenever we are there and remind tenants. We are probably going to move to a model where we do all of the properties ourselves every month or so and just build the cost into the rent.

Kathleen Leary · Answer

Tenants won't change filters, no matter how big a stack of new ones you give them. Smoke detectors get "decommissioned" when the batteries start dying. GUARANTEED!

I change the HVAC filters every month myself - tenants know & agree to this before signing a lease. I also change out all batteries in smoke/CO detectors twice a year. In truth, I've had good response from tenants by doing this - they appreciate that I take care of the property. I always ask if anything is even remotely broken, loose, etc. & make arrangements to fix it ASAP.

Disposals, ice makers & dishwashers - no! (I realize some properties pretty much have to have a dishwasher, but not around here.) These are all PIAs waiting to happen.

Jill F. · Answer

I agree with @Roger Sandmann . Our lease makes the tenant responsible, but twice a year we go through our units to change filters and once a year we do smoke detector checks. It gets us in the units and tenants appreciate the service rather than resenting "an inspection"

Kurt Phillips · Answer

Thanks for the responses everyone!  I did change the batteries and the filters without charging the tenants.  I pride myself of running properties in which the tenants have limited responsibilities, which justifies asking a little more in rent.

Although I hear ya @Kaycee Wegener.  That is a very interesting point of view that I will take into consideration.  Something similar went through my mind as I was purchasing said batteries and filters!

Brian Ploszay · Answer

You want to keep your tenants, so charging them for batteries and furnace filters is something I would recommend not doing.  Place a couple of filters next to the furnace.   Make sure they are changed before winter comes.  Also, smoke detectors in kitchens almost always get removed and never put back up again.  Place them a bit outside the kitchen.   Home Depot now sells Smoke Detectors with 10 year internal batteries that can't be changed.  They aren't cheap.  Charge them if they go missing.

Who is responsible: tenant or landlord?

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