As the owner of single-family rental homes, there’s a good likelihood that at some time, one or more of your tenants will ask to have a trampoline in the yard. Another choice you will have to make—and one of great significance—is allowing trampolines on your rental property.
There are numerous reasons why a tenant would want a trampoline, which would entice you to say yes. But there are also excellent reasons not to allow trampolines on your rental property. Before making a decision, it’s crucial to know the risks and benefits of allowing your tenants to have a trampoline.
Trampolines Are a Common Backyard Feature
Single-family homes often feature trampolines. They deliver a fun exercise that improves coordination and muscle growth. They help develop skills for sports like gymnastics and diving, giving hours of recreation for energetic kids. Manufacturers have improved security with nets and in-ground options to reduce falls and injuries.
Nonetheless, statistics reveal that these benefits come with serious risks, even with safety precautions. The majority of landlords and property owners restrict trampolines, for reasons of safety.
Why Trampolines Can Become a Liability for Landlords
In the U.S., trampolines lead to approximately 100,000 injuries each year. Most of these injuries involve broken legs and arms, but they can be much more serious. Among the common injuries are shattered ribs, sternum, spine, and head; some of them could cause permanent neurological damage.
Trampolines can also become a danger. If they aren’t properly maintained or start to rust, they might soon turn into an ugly sight. Having a trampoline in a grassy yard makes yard maintenance much more difficult since the trampoline has to be relocated every time the lawn is mowed.
The trampoline runs a good risk of killing off the grass under it if the trampoline stays in one place too long. Sometimes, tenants don’t have the means to move or get rid of an old or broken trampoline, leaving it to decay in the yard. Once they move out, that heap of junk starts to bother you.
Given their many drawbacks, it makes sense that trampolines are sometimes seen as a significant liability. Even if you have a lease addendum that assigns entire accountability to the tenant should they choose to get a trampoline, that is no guarantee against future litigation.
Setting Expectations Early to Avoid Future Disputes
Still, you have to consider whether your tenant might feel that having a trampoline (or not) is an issue. Their long-term satisfaction with the rental property is important to your future success, so denying any request should be done carefully and for a valid cause. Therefore, to avoid future hurt feelings and disappointment, whether or not to permit trampolines on your property should be decided early on and explicitly expressed to your tenant in the lease documents.
If you need help managing tenants or creating lease agreements for things like trampolines, hire a trusted Charlotte property manager such as Real Property Management Charlotte Metro, and we simplify life for you and your tenants. Contact us online or at 704-919-1344 today.
Originally Published on July 3, 2020
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.
