As the owner of single-family rental homes in Florissant, the chances are high that one of these days, one or more of your tenants will ask to have a trampoline in the yard. Allowing trampolines on your rental property is yet another decision that you will need to make, and it is an important decision. There are many reasons why a tenant would want a trampoline, which may tempt you to respond yes. But there are also good reasons not to allow trampolines on your rental property. Before making a decision, you need first to understand both the risks and benefits are of allowing your tenants to have a trampoline.
Trampolines are a popular choice for people who are living in single-family dwellings. There are several positive benefits to jumping on a trampoline: it provides both fun and healthy exercise, improves coordination, and encourages muscle growth. Many people use trampolines to help develop skills used in other sports, including gymnastics, diving, and even ballet. A trampoline can bring hours of entertainment and keep energetic youngsters occupied. Trampoline manufacturers have sought to make trampolines safer, with safety nets and in-ground options developed to reduce certain types of falls and injuries.
Then again, statistics show that even with safety precautions, all of these benefits come with serious risks. Most landlords and property owners prohibit trampolines, and it is for a good reason. In the U.S., trampolines cause about 100,000 injuries every year. In reality, during the years 2002 and 2011, more than 1 million people wound up in the emergency room with trampoline-related injuries. Several of these injuries were things like broken legs and arms, but they can be even more fatal. Fractured ribs, sternum, spine, and head are all common injuries caused by trampolines, some of which even result in permanent neurological damage.
Trampolines can quickly become a hazard in other ways. When the trampoline isn’t properly maintained or starts to rust, it could quickly become a real eyesore. Having a trampoline in a grassy yard makes yard maintenance much more difficult since the trampoline must be moved each time the lawn is mowed. If the trampoline stays in one place too long, there’s a good chance that it will kill off the grass underneath. Sometimes tenants don’t have the means to move or get rid of an old or broken trampoline, and so they leave it to deteriorate in the yard. That heap of junk then becomes your problem once they move out.
With so many downsides, it is no question that trampolines are often viewed as such a big liability. Albeit you have a lease addendum that assigns full responsibility to the tenant if they choose to get a trampoline, that is no guarantee against future litigation.
Furthermore, it is essential to consider at least whether your tenant might feel that having a trampoline (or not) a deal-breaker. Their long-term satisfaction with the rental property is important to your long-term success, and so denying any request should be done carefully and for a good reason. For this purpose, to avoid future hurt feelings and disappointment, the decision of whether or not to allow trampolines on your Florissant property is something that should be made early and communicated clearly to your tenant in the lease documents.
If you need help managing tenants or creating lease agreements for things like trampolines, hire a trusted Florissant property manager like Real Property Management Three Bridges. We make life easier for you and your tenants. Contact us online or at 636-542-88522 today.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
