There is a plethora of measures landlords can pursue to make a rental property more impressive and comfortable for potential tenants. When it comes to renting out to a family with toddlers or little children, attractiveness and comfort goes beyond cosmetic improvements. Safety is the greatest priority for families with children. You can attract families by making your rental property safe for toddlers and little ones.
This can be achieved by child proofing the premises to prevent incidents, adding a door to the staircase, and more. In this article, we will walk you through some tips to make your rental property safe for children.
Here, take a look:
Child Proofing the Staircases
If the rental property has several staircases, it is important to make sure these staircases are child proofed with safety precautions. You can install sturdy railings with a non-slip material to prevent accidents and injuries. The best investment is to install a baby gate on the staircases, as this is an indispensable investment for parents, and they will end up installing one anyway.
Secure the Windows
Securing the windows is not just important for childproofing, but it will also enhance the security measures of your rental property in keeping out burglars and intruders. You will need to invest in safety locks for every window because children are curious explorers and windows are a potential accident zone. However, if all windows have latches and guards, they will become much safer and secure. More importantly, when it comes to window treatment, blinds are not the safest option for kids because they can end up strangling themselves while playing with the cords.
Securing Balconies
If your property has multiple porches, balconies or terraces, you will need to install sturdy railings to prevent accidents. Children can trip over the boundaries and fall, resulting in horrid accidents. Keep in mind that children have a habit of hanging on railings and playing with them. So, the railings must be strong and sturdy, and the design must not allow any kind of climbing with a dense structure.
Beware of Electricity Hazards
Children and toddlers are highly vulnerable to electricity hazards, and given their curious nature of exploring, they are highly likely to poke their fingers into electric outlets and play around with wires. It is important to take certain steps that protect children from all outlets, cables and electricity hazards around the house. You can begin by installing covers for all the power outlets that children will not be able to access.
This will not require a substantial investment, and in the long run, it will also protect outlets from wear and tear. You will also need a sturdy cable cover to hide and assemble all the cable wires and keep them out of the children’s reach.
Locking all Drawers & Cabinets
Never underestimate the curious nature and exploration prowess of toddlers and little ones. Aside from windows, railings and stairs, they are eager and willing to climb over everything without paying any attention to the potential hazards. Drawers and cabinets can be hazardous for multiple reasons. You see, toddlers and children are likely to open drawers and climb atop them, which can cause furniture to trip over and injure them.
Little ones can also explore and climb cabinets to explore potentially dangerous contents, such as detergents, medicines, chemicals and others. By installing safety locks on all drawers and cabinets, you can make them safe and child proofed. It is ideal to consult your tenants on this safety measure, and take their input on the kind of locks they are comfortable with.
Checking all Alarms
Before handing over the property to your tenants, it is important to double-check all alarms around the house. This is a safety measure that is instrumental for all tenants, regardless of whether they have kids or not. It is important to check all the alarms, such as the smoke alarm, the carbon monoxide detector and security alarm to identify any potential issues.
These alarms can save lives and prevent damages, and if they fail to work at a critical moment, it can lead to a hazardous situation. False alarms are just as hazardous as an alarm that doesn’t work. So be sure to inspect the alarms and detectors with regular intervals.
Protecting the Outdoor Area
If your rental home has an outdoor garden or a backyard, you will have to take measures to childproof this area as well. Backyards and outdoor spaces are ripe with safety hazards, and they are also one of the favorite places for little ones. So, be sure to undertake a thorough inspection and eliminate all safety hazards diligently.
The first step is to build a fence to enclose the yard or garden adequately to prevent children from wandering off into the traffic or getting hit by a vehicle. If a child is injured during such an incident, you as the landlord will be blamed for not equipping the property with a fence.
Pool Safety
A swimming pool is the ultimate feature to make your rental property highly attractive for tenants. However, families with toddlers and small children will require you to undertake appropriate pool safety measures. You will need to install a fence and a gate to enclose the pool and prevent children from venturing into the swimming area unsupervised. It is ideal to choose a fence that children cannot climb.
A pool cover is another efficient investment to prevent children from falling into the pool when it is not being used. Be sure to add some safety signs and a non-slip surface around the swimming pool to make it even safer for all your tenants.
Many landlords fear that childproofing would be an expensive endeavor, and end up being legally challenged for basic safety hazards involving children. When renting out your property to a family with children, you need to take multiple precautions and safety investments. It is important to sit down with your tenants and discuss their views on an adequate childproofing strategy.
While the safety measures are not expensive, this endeavor will require your time and energies as it is important to communicate with your tenants and understand their apprehensions.
If you’d like to talk more about property management, or you need help with Everest Property Management, please contact us at Everest Realty.
As a top producing Realtor and Property Manager; Terry specializes in sales, extensive construction homes, rentals, REO’s, short sales, and all aspects of Real Estate. After graduating the University of Michigan with a master in MBA, Terry continued his endeavor and now has over 15+ years of experience in the Real Estate world. If there is anything that has to do with Real Estate and sales, you can always be sure of Terry to provide important, specialized knowledge.
