Although there are many different Halloween traditions across the many cultures of America, one of the most popular ones is trick-or-treating. Many kids all across the country— including Buford— get excited at the prospect of free candy. No matter how your tenants want to participate in the festivities— either by trick-or-treating by going out or by receiving costumed guests for candies, there are some important things they have to go through to make sure the evening is a safe and enjoyable one for all. Now, as a property owner, regular tenant communication is very important. So, with Halloween fast approaching, providing your tenants with great safety tips on trick-or-treating goes well with that goal.
First, let’s look at a few simple safety rules that your tenants should abide by should they decide to go out trick-or-treating. Something you could do is suggest to your tenants to use reflective tape on costumes or carry flashlights to help improve visibility while walking down dark streets. It also won’t hurt to provide some advice about costumes. Avoid masks that obstruct your vision and skip the oversized shoes, robes, or skirts that could cause someone to trip and fall. To ensure safety, encourage your tenants to secure all doors, douse any candles, and turn off all electronic decorations before they leave the house. This is because of the danger that unattended candles and electric decorations pose. These things are one of the leading causes of residential fires on Halloween.
The second topic we’ll look at is about how to properly prepare for visitors. After all, this is also a huge part of the Halloween celebration. As the property owner, one big help is to perform regular landscaping maintenance or ensuring that your tenants have done so. Clearing away overgrowth, low-hanging branches, and other potential hazards are something you could do before the holiday.
Encourage your tenants to help the celebration go without accidents by clearing leaves and debris from sidewalks, driveways, and walkways, as well as removing any tripping hazards like garden hoses. It’s also a nice idea to check the property’s exterior lights to see if they all work. If not, you may need to replace any burned-out bulbs. As you walk around checking the lights, also keep an eye out for any dark areas around the property. It’s best that these be illuminated with extra light sources, such as landscaping lights or even battery-powered tea lights in decorative bags. A clear and well-lit walkway is a safe walkway.
If your tenant wants to join in the fun by having a few jack o’ lanterns around the property, then you should give them some tips to make sure they do it safely. First, keep doorways and walkways free of candles and other hazards. There are also alternative lighting sources that do not require an open flame. You should encourage your tenants to opt for that. However, some tenants want to go traditional and use real candles in their decorating. In this case, make sure that they are placed at a safe distance from where visitors might be walking or standing. It is also crucial that all exterior decorations your tenant hangs up are properly secured. If a decorative item falls and injures a visitor, or maybe an improperly placed candle was to tip over and burn someone or start a fire, you’d have a disaster on your hands. This could result in, among others, a lawsuit against you as the property owner.
There are some additional things your tenant can do to prevent accidents and injuries on Halloween. If your tenant has pets and plans to give out candy on Halloween, they should be sure to keep their furry friends indoors and secured in a safe location. It’s the best option for the sake of your pet’s safety. This ensures that nobody gets hurt because a dog was stressed out by a bunch of strangers. Also, imagine getting sued because your tenant’s dog injured someone. That’s probably the last thing you’d want.
Your tenants should also be advised which items are considered safe and appropriate for trick-or-treaters of all ages. The best option is store-bought, individually wrapped items. But you have to make sure that they are big enough to not pose as a choking hazard. In a lot of areas, families leave a bowl of treats outside. This is a good idea especially if your tenant is not planning to hand out candies themselves. This act helps keep your rental property from becoming the target of Halloween pranks and vandalism. On top of that, the kids would thank you!
While educating your tenants is an important task that rental property owners must do, it also takes time. Now, because your real estate investing business requires a lot of your time and attention for many things, it might make sense to hire a Buford property manager. Real Property Management Executives Greater Atlanta is an expert in the industry, providing services that allow you to spend your time on more valuable aspects of rental property ownership. Feel free to contact us online or by phone at 678-765-8383. We’ll be glad to show you what we have to offer property owners like yourself.
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