It’s every landlord’s nightmare. You get a call from your tenants stating that there’s been a break in, and several of their valuables have been stolen. For your tenants, this can be a very traumatic experience, and they may now be feeling unsafe, even violated.
As a landlord, there are quite a few responsibilities you have in this situation. What are the appropriate steps to take to further secure your property, as well as maintain a feeling of safety for your renters? The following tips may help.
The Landlord’s Legal Responsibilities
The first line of defense for a rental property is to ensure that it’s safe to begin with. In most states, the landlord holds a legal duty to their tenants to take basic steps to protect them from criminal threats.
Landlords should make a sincere effort to meet all state security laws for their area, such as specifications for locks on doors, adequate lighting, or home security measures. There should be regular maintenance of the rental property to find and rectify any issues with security.
It’s in the landlord’s best interest to handle any tenant complaints about suspicious activities or broken doors or windows. If an incident were to occur after a valid complaint had been made, the landlord would be held responsible.
Making Safety a Priority
The main issue after a break in for renters and landlords alike is the issue of safety. If the break in has resulted in damage to the property itself, such as broken windows or doors, immediate action should be taken to make repairs.
Make your renters safety your first priority. It may be beneficial to work with the local police to report the issue and take their recommendations on how to further secure your property.
Take a good look at your rental property, and see what areas your security can be heightened.
Examples of this may be:
- Home Security System
- Security Cameras
- Change All the Locks
- Maintaining Landscaping to Bring More Eyes to the Property
You may also find it useful to join or create the neighborhood watch, and inform your renters about joining. If you’re already part of such a committee, discuss ways to make the neighborhood safer for everyone involved.
In taking steps to secure your property, not only do you ensure that your tenants feel safe and well taken care of, but this contributes to a good landlord-tenant relationship. Investing in the security of your rental property may also go a long way to increase the overall value of the property in the long run.
The Landlord’s Legal Responsibilities
At the first sign of a break-in, the insurance company should be contacted immediately. If you have homeowner’s insurance, they may cover the cost of any repairs that result from the break-in. It’s helpful to have pictures of valuable items, as well as the receipts for them.
However, if tenants do not have renters’ insurance, it makes the problem of replacing items much more complicated. Another solution to the issue would be to include in the lease agreement what steps will take place should there be a break in on the property.
Has there ever been a break in at your rental property? How did you handle it?
