As the owner of single-family rental homes, you should expect that at least one 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 critical one.
There are lots of reasons why a tenant would want a trampoline, which may tempt you to grant their request. However, there are also valid reasons not to allow trampolines on your rental property. Before making a decision, it is necessary to know the risks and benefits of allowing your tenants to have a trampoline.
Trampolines Are a Common Backyard Feature
Trampolines are common in single-family homes. They offer a fun exercise that improves coordination and muscle growth. They help develop skills for sports like gymnastics and diving, and they keep active children occupied for hours. Nets and in-ground options have been developed by manufacturers to enhance safety and reduce falls and injuries.
Even with safety precautions, the data reveal that these benefits come with serious risks. For valid reasons, the majority of landlords and property owners do not permit trampolines.
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. Common injuries include splintered ribs, sternum, spine, and head, some of which may give rise to permanent neurological damage.
Trampolines can also pose the risk of injury. If they aren’t properly maintained or begin to rust, they could rapidly become an 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 high possibility that the grass beneath it will die. Once in a while, tenants don’t have the means to move or get rid of an old or broken trampoline, leaving it to deteriorate in the yard. That heap of junk then becomes your obligation once they move out.
Given all the potential drawbacks, it’s understandable that trampolines are generally seen as a significant liability. Although you possess a lease addendum that places full responsibility on the tenant should they choose to get a trampoline, that is no guarantee against future litigation.
Setting Expectations Early to Avoid Future Disputes
However, you should still consider whether your tenant might feel that having a trampoline (or not) is a hindrance. Their long-term satisfaction with the rental property is vital to your long-term profitability, so denying any request should be done carefully and for a good reason. That is why it is important to make a firm decision about trampolines on your property early on and communicate it to your tenant in the lease documents to avoid future hurt feelings and disappointment.
If you have problem managing tenants or writing lease agreements for things like trampolines, hire a trusted Sanford property manager like Real Property Management Vanguard, we can simplify the process for both you and your tenants. Contact us online or at 407-681-7802 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.
