baby proofing - Landlord Forum thread

baby proofing by Anonymous (nj) on June 5, 2012 @04:54

I have a new tenant moving in soon. They bought barrier guards for the steps going up to the second floor in the house. They also bought an additional guard for the second floor.

They told me they would be leaving the 2 guards off at the house before they move in, so I can have them both installed.

This is at my cost ? The guards are not the tension type, so this means drilling into the walls to support them.

They also have a flat screen and would like to mount it over the fireplace into the brick wall covered with stucco currently. They will also be dropping it off for me to have installed at my cost.

I have agreed they could have this bracket installed, but not to take on the cost of installation.
As for the step barriers, I agreed to them also, however I thought they might be tension units. The walls are stucco on both floors and I am afraid this is going to ruin the surface of the walling.
I will not want these brackets to remain permanently after their lease is up.
Any suggestions for who is to pay for all these installations ?
Thanks in advance

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Re: baby proofing by OK-LL on June 5, 2012 @08:12	[ Reply ]

Are you going to hang their personal photos at your own expense, too? And supply toilet paper and come wipe them? You should make a written addendum to the lease which gives them permission to install the tv bracket (if you are allowing it) and you must tell them that the only baby gates allowed are the tension type. Make it clear they must install at their own expense. You may wish to do the install just so you can be certain it is done properly and without damage to your property, but charge the cost back to the tenant. Now stop being a doormat!

Re: baby proofing by Anonymous on June 5, 2012 @08:42	[ Reply ]

All of these items are at the tenants expense and responsibility. Also, I assume that your lease covers installations and alternation to the property which drilling into the brick wall for a TV will not only be an alternation but damages. You need to fire off a letter to them referencing that clause and that you do not give them permission to drill into the brick wall or the walls by the stairs. You may want to break the lease at this point if money hasn't been handed over.

Re: baby proofing by Anonymous (GA) on June 5, 2012 @09:24	[ Reply ]

I think your new tenants have some major nerve! I can't imagine expecting the landlord to arrange and pay for the installation of these items. I can't speak to the tv mount from experience, but the idea of drilling into a fireplace structure gives me the heebie jeebies. What if there's a fire, and this was shown to be at fault? Or if their tv is ruined by the heat (and I"ve read about this happening), and they blame you because after all they paid you to handle the installation? I can speak to the baby gates. We have two young ones of our own, and we recently took our own baby gates off of our personal home in order to rent it out. It was a bear to get the holes in the wall covered well and the paint touched up. This is more than just a nail in a wall to hang a picture. At the same time, as the mother of young ones, a baby gate on stairs is an absolute necessity. My toddlers would not have been safe without them, and I would not live in any home with my children that didn't have the proper safety equipment. If you refuse, you may find this is a deal breaker. My suggestion as a landlord and a mom is to tell the tenants that you will have these professionally installed at the tenant's expense (because I don't think you want an amateur doing this), and you expect them to pay in advance on deposit for professional removal and restoration of your former walls and fireplace at the end of their lease. BTW, tension gates are for pets, not babies. They are totally unsafe for small children. Good luck, K

Re: baby proofing

Re: baby proofing by jannie (IL) on June 5, 2012 @09:34	[ Reply ]

There is no end to what they tenants will ask for and will want. They knew what the house looked like and what it had when they looked at it. Now they want their tv installed and over the fireplace into the brick. As to the baby gate, that's not something you should have to pay for as a LL, Professional install at their expense. I have stucco and yes this can easily ruin if done wrong.

Re: baby proofing by Eloise on June 5, 2012 @10:22	[ Reply ]

Sigh, well, I personally wouldn't have agreed to any of it, but here are some questions for you: -What are your plans regarding patching up the items installation once they leave? Is this going to be at your cost? their cost? have you talked to them about this? -Have you researched installing flat screens? BIG screen TVs don't "require" but if you've never done it, or them, you want a professional installing the mount. There are wall mounts, and ceiling mounts. In your case, I would recommend a ceiling mount if you won't want your brick drilled into. Reading your questions, I am more concerned about your line of communication with them and the way your lease was written. They seem to be in the idea that you are their concierge and not their landlord, and you seem to be in the idea that they should know what you will and will not do. I think this is a matter of miscommunication. If you do NOT want these items installed, or want to be responsible for the installation, I suggest you explain to them now, before moving day, your concerns, what you thought you agreed to, and what they have to do now {a refresher on their responsibilities as a tenant would also be helpful, otherwise you will be getting service calls for light bulbs}. I my opinion, your tenants, if they do not realize this is their responsibility, they are pretty clueless people. If they do, they are really sleek people and if you install these items for them, you are also responsible for patching up the place when they leave since you did the job!

Re: baby proofing

Re: baby proofing by Anonymous on June 5, 2012 @10:29	[ Reply ]

Just send them the cost estimate for doing the installs and if they aggree to that amount. Make it worth your while for hiring this out to someone to install correctly. They will either aggree to pay, or find someone else or do it themselves?

Re: baby proofing by Bill (NYS) on June 5, 2012 @23:22	[ Reply ]

I have my TV over the fireplace- sitting on the mantle. Might be worth putting one in if there's not one there now. My 2c.