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Less Tricks, More Treats: Tips for Staying Safe this Halloween

Indian Harbour Beach Resident Holding a Stack of a Decorated Pumpkin and a Jack-o-LanternTo many Americans, Halloween revolves around candy. Yes, there are many traditions associated with Halloween but if you’re a child in America, the prospect of free candy would mean everything to you. This makes trick-or-treating a very popular Halloween activity both in Indian Harbour Beach and all over the country. Your tenants have a couple of choices when celebrating the evening. They may plan to go trick-or-treating by going out or they may stay home and receive costumed guests for candies. Either way, they still need to go through some important steps to ensure the evening is a safe and enjoyable one for all. Now, as a property owner, regular tenant communication is very important. So, with Halloween fast approaching, providing your tenants with great safety tips on trick-or-treating goes well with that goal.

First, if your tenants choose to go out trick-or-treating, there are some simple safety rules they should follow. You can encourage tenants to use reflective tape on costumes or carry flashlights to help improve visibility while walking down dark streets. It will also help to give them some advice about costumes. Avoid masks that obstruct your vision and skip the oversized shoes, robes, or skirts that could cause someone to trip and fall. Encourage your tenants to secure all doors, douse any candles, and turn off all electronic decorations when they leave the house. Because, when candles and electric decorations are left unattended, they are a huge risk. They are one of the leading causes of residential fires on Halloween.

The second thing we’ll talk about is the giving end of trick-or-treating. We’re talking about how to properly prepare for visitors—as this is also very important when celebrating Halloween. As the property owner, one big help is to perform regular landscaping maintenance or ensuring that your tenants have done so. One thing you can do, before receiving the costume-clad visitors, is to clear away overgrowth, low-hanging branches, and other potential hazards

Tell your tenants that they could help make the fun evening go smoother by clearing leaves and debris from sidewalks, driveways, and walkways, as well as removing any tripping hazards like garden hoses. It would be great if you also check up on the property’s exterior lights to see if they still work. And if you see any burned-out bulbs, you’ll have to replace them. As you do your check, also notice if there are dark areas around the property. These should be illuminated with extra light sources, such as landscaping lights or even battery-powered tea lights in decorative bags. A clear and well-lit walkway is a safe walkway.

If your tenant plans to display jack o’ lanterns, then they should do so safely. Here are a few tips you could give to them. First, make sure that doorways and walkways are kept free of candles and other hazards. To lessen the risk, suggest to your tenants to go for lighting sources that do not require an open flame. However, if your tenant really wants to use candles in their decorating, then suggest a safe location. Make sure that it’s placed at a safe distance from where visitors might be walking or standing. Another important thing is to ensure that all exterior decorations your tenant hangs up are properly secured. Should a decorative item fall and injure a visitor, that would be a disaster. Or what if an improperly placed candle would burn someone or start a fire? This could result in, among other things, a lawsuit against you as the property owner.

There are other measures your tenant can take to prevent accidents and injuries on Halloween. If your tenant has pets and plans to give out candy on Halloween, they should be sure to keep their furry friends indoors and secured in a safe location. It’s best for the sake of your pet. Doing this ensures that nobody gets hurt because some strangers stressed out a dog. Additionally, the last thing you’d want to happen to you is to get sued because your tenant’s dog injured someone.

Your tenants should also know what items are considered safe and appropriate for trick-or-treaters of all ages. The popular option is store-bought, individually wrapped items. These are the best, provided that they are big enough to not pose as a choking hazard. In many neighborhoods, it would be smart to leave a bowl of treats outside. This is great for the trick-or-treaters especially if your tenant is not planning to hand out candies themselves. This gesture helps your rental property not be the target of Halloween pranks and vandalism. Not to mention how the kids will be delighted when they see the candy.

Educating your tenants is really an important responsibility that falls on the shoulders of rental property owners but it takes a lot of time to do it. Now, since there are so many things about your real estate investing business that require your time and attention, it might make sense to hire an Indian Harbour Beach property manager. Real Property Management Brevard is an expert in the industry, providing services that allow you to spend your time on more valuable aspects of rental property ownership. Feel free to contact us online or by phone at 321-610-8022. We’ll be glad to show you what we have to offer property owners like yourself.

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