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Should You Allow Space Heaters in Your Middleton Rental Property?

Middleton Resident Warming Their Feet with a Space HeaterSpace heaters have a justified distinction for being the reason for lots of deadly accidents. Most homeowners have accepted the fact that they should never be allowed in a rental home. We’ve all caught a story or two about families going to bed on a cold winter night, their space heater making sure they are kept warm – and they never wake up. Either the electric heater has malfunctioned and filled the home with toxic fumes, or it has sparked an electrical fire from which there is little hope of escape. Accounts like these are all too familiar, and the last thing any Middleton property owner needs is to find that such a misfortune has befallen to their residents.

As a widely accepted custom, electric heaters are deemed dependable for residential use than fuel-based models. However, even electric heaters need to be handled under the stringent supervision and per the prescribed safety practices. Children and pets are especially unsafe. Besides, there’s no assurance that your residents will know or follow the recommended safety practices or use the space heater rightly, which may lead to unfavorable consequences.

Banning space heaters is not only a wise safety measure but also a big part of protecting yourself and your real estate investment. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has estimated that over 25,000 residential fires are caused by space heaters each year. These fires result in more than 300 deaths and 6,000 emergency room visits annually. While some of these injuries are burns from touching a space heater unit, others are far more pressing.

As the rental property owner, you carry a high risk of liability if you allow your residents to use space heaters. While your landlord’s insurance covers the damage to the rental home itself, if a space heater has caused any loss of life or serious injury, that may result in further legal action against you. Lawsuits alleging negligence or worse could threaten not only your livelihood, but also your assets and, in some cases, your freedom.

Regular property evaluations are crucial to protecting your property from the dangers presented by space heaters. At Real Property Management Greater Madison Metro, regular evaluations are a foundational piece of our property management program. We believe that the safety of your residents is a top priority, as is protecting you and your investment from the dangers of noncompliance. Contact us online or call us at 608-310-1290 to learn more about what we can do for you.

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