Refrigerator in rentals

[Daniel Peavey]

Do most landlords include refrigerators in rentals?  What are some thoughts?? Thanks

[Greg Weik]

Some hardcore landlords on this thread, jeez...

Yes, I provide a refrigerator in my personal rentals, and I require it of my property management clients. 

Do you think renters are running around with a full set of kitchen appliances?  (They're not.) 

Pro tips:

-Make sure your lease indicates the tenant will not be compensated for food spoilage in the event a refrigerator breaks. 

-If a refrigerator needs to be replaced, remember you are legally required to put in a "like-kind" unit.  This can become a major issue if you buy a cheap fridge without the same functionality/look/size. 

-Cleaning: if it's clean when the tenant moved in, who cares how they leave it?  That's what professional cleaners and security deposit claims are for. 

-Water lines: yes, this can be a problem, so be sure that you disclose clearly in your marketing AND your lease that the ice/water maker on the refrigerator is "as-is" (if this is your approach.)  Also, make sure you have solid water mitigation responsibilities for the tenant in the lease.  In the event of water leaking, you'll want to point to the tenant's requirement to mitigate damage. 

Ultimately, this is just part of the risk in owning rental properties.  You can't eliminate risk, and I personally think it's unethical to push your risk downstream on the tenants by not providing a refrigerator or charging them for the first $65 (or whatever) on repairs.