Tis the Season: Should You Let Your Capitol Hill Renters Hang Christmas Lights?

Adorning the house for the Christmas holiday is a time-honored tradition for renters and homeowners alike. Many tenants want to adorn their eaves and windows with strings of lights, adding a cheerful twinkle to long winter nights. But attaching Christmas lights on a house is not practically as relaxed – or as free from danger – as putting up other holiday decorations. You can also never be sure what the conclusion will be, as everyone has contrasting notions of what creates a tasteful holiday display. For many reasons, Capitol Hill property owners and landlords should evaluate twice before permitting their renters to hang Christmas lights by themselves.

Consider the Risks

As per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are over 1,000 serious injuries triggered by hanging Christmas decorations each year. Falls, electrical shocks, cuts, and abrasions, grim enough to refer people to the emergency room are just a few of the likely risks of hanging lights.

Another liability risk consists of adornments that breach the guidelines of Common Interest Communities (commonly known as Homeowner Associations) and other local governances. A CIC, for example, may have strict procedures about how many and what sort of Christmas decorations are allowed, as well as when and how long they may be presented. If your tenant violates CIC regulations, you may find yourself on the hook for fines, disciplinary action, or other unwanted consequences.

Getting your property in compliance may reveal that you should consider banning renters from hanging their own Christmas lights. While no one wants to be a holiday grinch, the liability that comes with tenants doing his or her own Christmas decorating is not to some degree property owners can afford to leave to chance. Thus the noteworthiness of talking through and projecting good reasoning holiday decorating guidelines with your tenants.

In Conclusion

No matter the season, it’s necessary to supervise your properties scrupulously, an assistance that is an essential part of the Real Property Management DC Metro concept to property management. Our expert property managers comprehend the significance of carrying out regular property evaluations and getting your tenants safe and in accordance with their lease. To hear more, please contact us online or call us at 202-269-0303 today.