As the owner of single-family rental homes in Fort Worth, the chances are high that eventually, 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 a significant one. There are many reasons why a tenant would want a trampoline, which may tempt you to tell them yes. But there are also good reasons not to allow trampolines on your rental property. Before making a decision, you must first understand both the risks and benefits of allowing your tenants to have a trampoline.
Trampolines are a popular choice for those living in single-family dwellings. There are numerous positive benefits to jumping on a trampoline: it guarantees both fun and healthy exercise, improves coordination, and encourages muscle growth. Many individuals use trampolines to help develop skills used in other sports, like gymnastics, diving, and even ballet. A trampoline can give hours of entertainment and keep energetic youngsters occupied. Trampoline manufacturers have chosen to make trampolines safer, with safety nets and in-ground options designed to reduce certain types of falls and injuries.
However, statistics show that even with safety precautions, most of these benefits come with serious risks. Most landlords and property owners prohibit trampolines, and for a valid reason. In the U.S., trampolines cause about 100,000 injuries every year. Somewhere in 2002 and 2011, more than 1 million people wound up in the emergency room with trampoline-related injuries. Many of these injuries were things like broken legs and arms, but it can be more harmful. Fractured ribs, sternum, spine, and head are all common injuries caused by trampolines, most of them even result in permanent neurological damage.
Trampolines can easily become a hazard in other ways. If 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 a lot 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 damaged 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 fair to say that trampolines are often viewed as such a big liability. Even if you have a lease addendum that assigns full responsibility to the tenant should they choose to get a trampoline, that is no guarantee against future litigation.
Also, it’s critical to consider at least whether your tenant might feel that having a trampoline (or not) is a deal-breaker. Their long-term satisfaction with the rental property is important to your long-term success, that’s why denying any request should be done carefully and for a good reason. That is a reason to avoid future hurt feelings and disappointment, the decision of whether or not to allow trampolines on your Fort Worth property is the one 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 Fort Worth property manager like Real Property Management 360. We make life easier for you and your tenants. Contact us online or at 817-502-3588 today.
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