Landlord wants to manage thermostat

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Landlord wants to manage thermostat

David Wilson
Member since 2019 · 2 posts · 0 votes

There is a smart thermostat in the house I am renting.  My landlord would like me to connect the thermostat to my WiFi so that he has access through the nest app to the thermostat.  He hasn't mentioned wanting to actively control it, though it is annoying to me that he wants to check up on me and he hasn't always been reasonable with me in the past, so I am wary of giving him the ability.  Beyond that, I pay all utilities, don't set the thermostat to weird temperatures that are outside what folks would consider reasonable (in the summer, 70-74 when home), and I treat the house very well.  The lease is silent on this.  Can anyone think of a scenario where I would be required to do this?  Maintaining a good relationship is important to me, but I would appreciate any off-the-cuff advice and would like to know if I could be required some how.  Thanks!

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  • Scott Mac
    Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    6y

    SJW climate activist maybe (???)

    I run my A/C at 68 degrees and enjoy it.

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  • Jim Adrian
    Architect · Papillion, NE · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 840 votes
    6y

    I don't see any need to letting the landlord have access to this.  If you didn't have internet what would he do?  I think the landlord wants to spot check to see if you are abusing the equipment from time to time.  Hooking it up the thermostat to the internet is a "convenience" and not "need".   

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  • Lauren Kormylo
    Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ and Rehoboth Beach DE · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y
    If you're paying utilities and not freezing up the AC by setting the temperature too low, he has no need to connect to your thermostat.  Did you ask him why he wants to do that?  I would tell him no unless his answer is reasonable.  And I'd like to hear what that is!
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  • Mindy JensenPro Member
    BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    6y

    I would ask him for his reasoning before outright saying no. He could simply wish to monitor the unit so he can make sure it doesn't get too cold and the pipes freeze in the winter? I wouldn't outright say no, but I'd definitely ask for access to the thermostat via the internet, too. 

    [email protected]Podcast Guest on Show #261
    BiggerPockets
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  • Peter M.
    Rental Property Investor · DFW, TX · Member since 2013 · 953 posts · 910 votes
    6y

    @David Wilson You have no requirement to provide this to him. If you do you should be compensated. But he could just buy a thermostat with it's own cellular connection without using your internet. I believe verizon offers them through Honeywell and its 10/month for the "phone line" plus the cost of the thermostat. So I'd say if you let him connect to your internet you should get at least a $20 credit

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  • Pat L.
    Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    Sure disconnect it from the furnace add your own & let him play with it as long as he pays half your internet costs/month :)

    My son had to do this to stop his young kids hacking the Nest.

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  • Nick C.
    Investor · Tampa, FL · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    If it's not in the lease there is no requirement to do this. As a landlord I would not ask this of any tenant. And as a former tenant I would have said no. While a tenant is renting it is their house. If he's worried about someone abusing his systems, he should have screened them out and not rented to them in the first place. 

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  • Richard Arden
    New London CT · Member since 2016 · 57 posts · 8 votes
    6y

    @David Wilson

    If you are paying for the heat your landlord has no right to your thermostat.

    If he is paying for the heat... he should have it in the lease that he has control of the temperature.

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  • Lynn McGeein
    Real Estate Agent · Virginia Beach, VA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y

    If there's nothing in the lease about it and you pay the utilities, then you don't have to allow his access.  But expect a change in your lease at renewal, however, if you were planning to stay as he'll likely add it in then. My lease does require tenants to pay for all utilities and has a clause that heat shall be maintained at a minimum of 58 degrees in colder weather, even if tenant is away.  Not sure if this would give me the right to monitor - I never have - but I actually know several instances of renters who have gone on vacation in Jan/Feb and turned their heat off to save themselves the $20 or so in bills, only to have pipes freeze when they were away.  So I understand landlord's concern and discuss it with my tenant at lease signing.  

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  • Matt Nico
    Member since 2019 · 448 posts · 306 votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @David Wilson:

    There is a smart thermostat in the house I am renting.  My landlord would like me to connect the thermostat to my WiFi so that he has access through the nest app to the thermostat.  He hasn't mentioned wanting to actively control it, though it is annoying to me that he wants to check up on me and he hasn't always been reasonable with me in the past, so I am wary of giving him the ability.  Beyond that, I pay all utilities, don't set the thermostat to weird temperatures that are outside what folks would consider reasonable (in the summer, 70-74 when home), and I treat the house very well.  The lease is silent on this.  Can anyone think of a scenario where I would be required to do this?  Maintaining a good relationship is important to me, but I would appreciate any off-the-cuff advice and would like to know if I could be required some how.  Thanks!

    David,

    I am a landlord, and I actually have nest thermostats in all of my properties, and I have access to them.

    My properties are house hacks, so I set the temperature that the tenants want it at. An added bonus of the nest is that it senses when your AC unit is not working properly or when the filter needs to be changed. I'm not sure why your landlord would want this information if you are responsible for utilities though. I would just be up front with him and ask.

    -Matt

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  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    6y

    IF you do connect it to your wifi, wouldn't he need access to your network to access the thermostat?  I don't know, I'm asking.  If that is the case, I would tell him it works well and you don't see the need to connect it to the wifi and if you did, you are not comfortable giving him access to your wifi information.

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  • Corey Hawkinson
    Rental Property Investor · Bloomington, MN · Member since 2019 · 404 posts · 542 votes
    6y

    @David Wilson I agree with the people that said to ask the landlord what information he is looking to obtain. Some thermostats can tell when a filter needs to be replaced. He/she could be looking for that info. Others now can detect when units are too loud which can be useful for apartment buildings. They do not record conversations but do record decibels to know if a unit was too loud at 3:00 AM every day of the week.

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