The toddler tenant found something new to play with … except it’s not a toy, it’s a sharp nail sticking out of the side gate!
Owning income investment property is rewarding, but it is not without its risks and potential liabilities.
While as owners and property managers, we cannot totally safeguard our properties such that we can prevent every imaginable accident, we do have a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure that the premises do not create a reasonably foreseeable or known risk which could cause injury to our tenants. One such potential liability that we take particular care to address is the safety of any minor children living on the property.
Parents worry about protecting their children from hazards when they’re away from home, but within your own investment property, children can still get into trouble. This is why you should conduct “Kid Proofing Inspections” which happens simultaneously during normal property inspection visits. Give particular attention to those properties and units that have minor children living there, since there is a higher probability of injury with properties containing minor children.
Here are a few extra precautions to consider when inspecting a property where minor children reside.
Exterior Kid Proof Inspections
- During exterior inspections, observe the condition of the main common areas of the property.
- Walk the exterior property line and inspect the walls, gates and fences to ensure that there are no sharp objects (nails, wood splints) that protrude out and could cause injury.
- Keeping up with yard work does more than add to appearance, it prevents cuts from bushes, potential fire hazards from dry shrubs, and keeps walkways clear.
- Make sure plant food and chemicals are only stored in areas children cannot get to.
- If there are cracks on the grounds, immediately fill them with cement to avoid any tripping hazards.
During a recent inspection at a 20-unit apartment building in the San Fernando Valley – (Sherman Oaks), we quickly noticed cracks in the courtyard area, which recently occurred as a result of the recent rains. It was evident that anyone could have tripped on the cracks, especially kids playing in the courtyard.
Interior Unit Kid Proof Inspections
Interior inspections have many hot spots to check.
- First, the obvious, are wires and plugs to electronic devices should be concealed and never stored near sinks and other water sources.
- Tall dressers should be screwed into the wall for earthquake preparedness and doorways should always be clear of any storage items.
In a recent inspection of a Valley Village duplex that we manage, we noted the upstairs back unit tenant would store excess boxes, bikes and other children’s toys right outside of their front door. Their front door was at the top of the stairs. This meant that we would have to squeeze through the stored items just to walk through the front door. We envisioned a scenario whereby the stored items could very well have fallen over and blocked the tenants from exiting their unit during a fire.
Maintaining a property’s appearance is one aspect of a suitable place to live, but even the small details count in terms of safety. It is our duty to respect the children as tenants as they reside on the property as well.
Limit the exposure of liability (both financial and being sued) by having an aggressive, proactive management.
KIG Property Management full service Property Management company supporting Single Family Residences, Multi-Family Homes, and Commercial Properties. Please feel free to reach out to us at (888) 270 – 4452 or [email protected].