Permanent Fixtures Question
I have in rental in Cleveland, OH. In the lease I say “no permanent fixtures inside or outside, w/o permission”. Is a Ring doorbell considered a permanent fixture?
I am saying NO (at least I would not consider it permanent and I would not even worry about it). It is wireless, can be removed, the Ring account is in the name of the tenant and is security based.
take a look at https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-a-fixture-1798556
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Originally posted by @Patricia Eisenhut:I have in rental in Cleveland, OH. In the lease I say “no permanent fixtures inside or outside, w/o permission”. Is a Ring doorbell considered a permanent fixture?
It needs to be attached to the doorbell wiring so technically I would say yes it's a permanent fixture. It only takes about 5 min to install and only involves low voltage wiring however you don't want the tenant taking it off when they move out and letting the doorbell wiring fall into the wall. So if I were you I would either tell them no or charge them for the installation and make them leave it when they move out as the cost to have you come out and uninstall it and replace with a regular doorbell would likely be more than what the ring is worth. All of that said I'd assume most tenants would just install one of these without asking you about it. Part of the business.
I have Ring at my home. It works wirelessly off of my wifi signal and an internal rechargeable battery. It is also quite light and can be easily mounted without altering the exterior of your building. We have ours screwed into our Stucco wall, but it is so light you could velcro it on to any surface. I would not consider it a permanent fixture at all, but if you agree you should supervise the installation to make sure the mounting doesn't create future repairs.
Thank you John. This helps me understand Ring more. I’m dealing with a tenant that is screwdriver crazy. He’s drilling into the ceiling to hang plants, etc., and he’s not gifted with knowing what he’s doing but he’s rebellious when you try to teach him.
Technically anything that requires a tool to install or remove is a fixture.
Even something as simple as a screwdriver.
In my lease I allow tenants to go crazy on hanging pictures, drape rods, tapestry, wall hooks etc etc etc...I will not charge them when they move out as long as holes are < 1/4". Drywall repairs is quick and easy and touch up painting is to be expected. Now if they use a toggle bolt that''s impossible to remove without enlarging the hole to 1/2" then yes, I would charge those as damages.
Exterior concrete walls I do not allow installation of anything without prior written approval.
I wouldn't bat an eye at this. It is a safety item that is becoming more and more common nowadays. I would save my battles for the big stuff, not two screw holes in a wood piece of trim on the exterior of the house.
Thank you Jeff. I wish it was just the doorbell but these people are screwdriver happy, I have over 100 year old oak woodwork, most of it in perfect shape, until this guy puts holes in it for a temporary fix for something. He’s even drilling holes in the plaster ceiling to hang plants. So I’m just exploring what I can do.