Tenant Safety

When it comes to tenant safety, most do-it-yourself residential landlords in Florida, are very naïve. They never imagine that one of their tenants, could be robbed, raped, attacked or murdered, in their rental property. And they operate their rental housing business, under the false assumption, that robberies, rapes, attacks and murders, only occur in rundown rental properties, owned by slumlords, catering to low-income tenants. However, numerous crime studies have reported, that most crimes, are crimes of opportunity, where criminals take advantage of situations, and victims, who appear to offer the least amount of resistance. For example, many tenants are careless, and routinely leave their entry doors and windows unlocked, which provides criminals with an opportunity to burglarize the unlocked rental property. And most criminals, with an IQ slightly larger than their shoe size, are more apt to select a rental property, that’s been left unlocked to break into, than one with all of its entry doors and windows locked. That’s why, tenants need to be made aware, that crime prevention and personal safety, are just as much their responsibility as it is their landlords. And tenants need to be educated about their own personal safety, and constantly reminded about keeping their doors and windows locked, when they’re not home, or sleeping. Trust me, when it comes to tenant safety and security, it’s far better for residential landlords, to err on the side of caution, and do everything that can be reasonably expected of them, than to do too little, and run the risk of one of their tenants getting robbed, raped attacked or murdered!

Twenty-Two Ways to Keep Your Rental Property Secure and Tenants Safe

Here are twenty-two ways to keep your rental property secure and your tenants safe:
1. Install solid core doors on all entrances.
2. Install wide-angle peep sites on all front entrance doors.
3. Install tamper proof deadbolt locksets on all entrance doors.
4. Install tamper proof entry locksets on all entrance doors.
5. Re-key all entrance door locksets after tenants move out.
6. Maintain strict control over all keys.
7. Repair all broken exterior door jambs.
8. Repair all exterior doors that don't close properly.
9. Repair all broken window frames that don't close properly.
10. Install locks on all windows and exterior sliding doors.
11. Repair all cracked and broken window and door glass.
12. Install an adequate number of smoke detectors in your rental property.
13. Include a clause in your rental agreement, which makes tenants responsible for maintaining the smoke detectors in your rental property.
14. Provide tenants with an up-to-date listing of telephone numbers, they can call in case of an emergency.
15. Provide tenants with up-to-date fire and crime prevention information.
16. Install exterior lighting by all front entrance doors.
17. Install exterior lighting to illuminate common walkways and onsite parking.
18. Prune all plants and shrubbery near doors and windows.
19. Deny rent and employment to applicants, who’ve been convicted of crimes involving violence, theft and sex.
20. Immediately evict all tenants who don't comply with all of the terms of their rental agreement.
21. Provide all tenants with your business cell phone number, and encourage them to notify you of any suspicious activity, taking place on your rental property.
22. Maintain your rental property in full compliance with all building, health and fire codes.

In chapter thirteen of The Florida Landlord's Manual, you learn how to make your rental property safe and secure, in order to minimize your tenants’ risk of being injured or harmed.