I was asked to write an article on tenant safety for a trade publication.  Here’s what I have so far, any ideas or comments?

Maintaining a Safe Rental Property

Liabilities are everywhere, especially if you’re a property owner.  As a landlord, limiting liabilities by maintaining a safe property is paramount to your success (not to mention your compliance with Landlord-Tenant law!).  Conscientious rental property owners and their property managers conduct periodic checks of their properties to make sure they are safe.  While there are some obvious things to check for such as loose railings, soft deck boards and slip hazards, there are also some less obvious items that merit your attention.

• As convenient as it may be if you need to make quick repairs or clean up, do not leave any chemicals/cleaners harsher than vinegar or paints/solvents more potent than finger paint anywhere on the property.  Tenants may try to “help out” by oiling the front door with the linseed oil you left behind, not knowing that if you leave a cotton rag soaked with linseed oil hanging around it can spontaneously combust—or the neighbor child might find your shed with the half-full gas tank a good place to learn to use a lighter.
• If you have carpet on stairs, give the edges a little nudge with your foot to make sure it is secured well.  If you have wood interior stairs, consider coating them with a non-stick floor covering.  Check that the railing is secure.
• Lead paint has received a lot of attention with most contractors being required to be certified by the EPA as of April 22, 2010.  If your property is pre-1978, although lead paint can be anywhere, pay special attention to doors, window trim, baseboards and other millwork with paint flaking off- these are areas with some of the heaviest concentrations of lead paint.
• Make sure the water heater is set to 120 degrees at a maximum to avoid scalding.  While you’re at it, make sure that there are no exposed wires anywhere on your water heater.
• Check outside around the foundation and crawlspace and look up at the soffits (the boards on the underside of the roof overhang).  Any unscreened openings are an invitation for critters.  Critters are not just a nuisance; they are a major health and safety issue.  Aside from the sanity concerns, rodents can chew through electrical wires causing a fire or compromise the integrity of a foundation with their boroughs.
• Check the furnace filter—in fact, go ahead and take an extra one anytime you visit a property (unless you visit more frequently than every quarter!).  Gas furnaces that have to work harder to  push air through a dirty filter are more likely to emit unsafe levels of carbon monoxide.
• Speaking of carbon monoxide, any property that has an attached garage or gas appliances of any kind, you should also install a carbon monoxide detector.  Take some extra batteries for it and the smoke alarms when you do your safety inspection.
• Check the exterior walkways for uneven surfaces or moss/algae build up that can be slip and fall hazards.
• Finally, TALK to your tenants.  Tenants will sometimes limp along with a problem that might not seem significant to them, but you know better.  Don’t assume that no news is good news or be afraid to ask because it opens the doors to complaints or extra bills.  Attending to maintenance in a timely fashion will save you big money over time.

With the state of Washington and some of the major cities, such as Seattle, enacting legislation concerning tenant safety, conducting your own safety inspections is a better idea than ever.  None of the items I listed above cost any money (except furnace filters and smoke alarm batteries) and conducting a brief inspection isn’t an arduous task, so schedule one today!