Real Property Management Success

Do I Need to Provide a Fire Extinguisher for My Rental?

The issue of fire safety in your New Bedford single-family rental house is a significant one. As an investment property owner, you want to know that your property is not only safe and in good condition but that you have good fire prevention measures in place as well. The majority of property owners understand the significance of having smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in their rental homes and make sure to maintain them every year. But what about fire extinguishers? Fire extinguishers are good to have in your home, even though not many laws require property owners to provide them.

As a property owner, you already know that submitting yourself to all state and local regulations is a significant part of making your rental home safe and profitable. Regardless, the most effective property owners don’t just follow the letter of the law. It’s vital that you contemplate what’s best for you, your tenants, and your investment. If it will make your property safer and easier to rent to quality tenants, that’s something that you should probably do. One approach towards that is making fire extinguishers available in your rental homes.

When used instantly and adequately, fire extinguishers are proven to help prevent property damage and personal injury. Usually, household fires are easily containable if the right tools are easily accessible. There are a number of fire extinguishers developed to put out different types of fires. The conventional fire extinguisher intended for general household use will extinguish all types of fires. When making a choice regarding an extinguisher for your rental properties, you should take into account if it’s light enough to lift, aim, and spray easily. Thus, general-purpose, user-friendly models are the best choice for rental properties.

Paired with tenant education, furnishing your New Bedford rental with at least one fire extinguisher could spare you potential unnecessary costs. The National Fire Protection Association reports that there are more than 355,000 residential fires in the U.S. every year, causing $6.9 billion in property damage. Even if you assume that your insurance will help you repair or replace your rental home in the event of a fire, that usually doesn’t include the lost rental income or the higher insurance premiums you are likely to pay after making a claim.

Beyond that, fire extinguishers can save lives. Household fires cause an average of 2,600 deaths every year, as well as over 11,000 injuries. As a property owner, your tenants’ safety while they are in the rental home is on you. When your tenants are taught what to do in case of a fire, and when you provide them with the proper tools to extinguish small fires, you can make sure no lives are lost in your rental home.

Furnishing your tenants with fire extinguishers in your rental homes leads to other positive effects. When you provide fire extinguishers to your tenants, this shows them that their safety is your priority; not just compliance with the law. This leads to the building of good rapport with your tenants, promoting responsibility for property maintenance, and maybe even encouraging them to stay longer in your rental house. Long-term profitability for your rental is what these can lead to.

In addition to smoke detectors, fire extinguishers are an essential part of any property owner’s tool kit. Nevertheless, there are many ways to create safe and appealing rental properties in New Bedford. Would you like to learn more? Contact our team today online!