June 24, 2025 • 24 mins
Summer brings sun, sizzle… and safety responsibilities for landlords. In this episode, we are giving you a fast-paced roundup of our best summer reminders to protect your property, keep your tenants safe, and stay legally protected.
We cover everything from fireworks laws and grilling guidelines to guest liability and servicing your air conditioners. With the 4th of July approaching, it’s a great time to double-check your lease terms, share safety policies, and confirm insurance coverage. We also talk about how to help your tenants beat the heat, and why early prep can make or break your summer maintenance game.
You’ll also hear about tax-saving tips for employing your kids over break and why preventative maintenance should happen in the spring—so your summer is smooth sailing.
🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned
🎉 Enter our Giveaway: Contest has ended. Please inquire about setting up coaching with us!
👉 Download: 4th of July Tenant Safety PDF
📌 Download: Heatwave Email Template
✔️ Download: Spring Maintenance Inspection Checklist
🎧Listen: Episode 65, 4th of July and Summer Safety Tips for Tenants
🎧 Listen: Episode 9 Helping Tenants Cope Through Heatwaves
🎧 Listen: Episode 5 The Advantages of Employing Your Children
🎧 Listen: Episode 3 Spring Maintenance Checklist for Rental Properties
Connect with Us:
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📧 Subscribe to our newsletter.
👆Click HERE for our FREE Landlord Forms and Doc’s
🤳Text Us: 650-489-4447. We love questions and love letters!
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✔️Course Waitlist: From Marketing to Move In, Place Your Ideal Tenant
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stacie (00:00):
The the next thing about summer is your tenants may
invite guests over.
So make sure your guest policyis noted in the lease.
And you guys guest policies arenot just to note how long
someone can stay, although thatis important to include.
It's about the liability ofhaving them in a property that
you own and are responsible for.
(00:22):
If they drink too much and falldown or cause a fight that
injures someone, you could beliable.
So again, make sure that yourlease states that the tenant is
responsible for anyone who theyallow in as a guest.
And of course, all tenantsshould have renter's insurance
to cover them in the unlikelysituation that their guest gets
rowdy or injured.
(00:47):
Welcome to Your LandlordResource podcast.
Many moons ago when I started asa landlord, I was as green as it
gets.
I may have had my real estatelicense, but I lack confidence
and the hands-on experienceneeded when it came to dealing
with tenants, leases,maintenance, and bookkeeping
after many failed attempts.
Fast forward to today, Kevin andI have doubled our doors and
(01:08):
created an organized.
Professionally operated rentalproperty business.
Want to go from overwhelm toconfident if you're an ambitious
landlord or maybe one in themaking.
Join us as we provide strategiesand teach actionable steps to
help you reach your goals andthe lifestyle you desire.
All well building is streamlinedand profitable rental property
(01:29):
business.
This is Your Landlord ResourcePodcast.
Hello landlords and thank you for tuning into the
Your Landlord Resource Podcast.
I'm your host, Stacie Casella,and I'm here with my co-host for
the podcast and in life, KevinKilroy.
Kevin (01:49):
Hey there.
I appreciate you all listeningto what we have to say about
being self-managing landlords.
Stacie (01:55):
So before we begin, I wanna remind everyone that we
have a contest going on that isending soon.
So keep listening to the end andwe will go over how you can
enter to win one free hour ofcoaching from Kevin and I.
So if you're like Kevin and I,you are super busy.
So we are going to jump rightinto this week's episode, which
(02:19):
is all of our summer remindersfor you to remember about your
rental properties.
It should be a short episode, sothat's a plus.
We'll be covering somepreventative maintenance items.
How you can help your tenantscope during this hot season.
And what to be mindful of andtips for your tenants for the
(02:40):
upcoming 4th of July holiday.
Kevin (02:43):
Yeah, these are all things we've covered before in
detail, but thought we'd do aquick recap in case you hadn't
caught those episodes or neededto be reminded about these very
important summer season issues.
I think we should start with our4th of July tips first.
And some of these are remindersthat tenants need to know about
(03:04):
all summer long.
It's just that the 4th of Julykind of kicks off the season of
them having guests andbarbecues, and especially using
fireworks.
Stacie (03:14):
Yeah.
I don't know about yourneighborhood, but we have here,
we have fireworks going off allyear long.
Kevin (03:21):
Yeah, and the people on the Nextdoor app have a field
day and it, it never changes.
It's every single day.
I mean, was it a bomb?
Was that gunfire and then thecomments of nope, just someone
setting off an M 80 or a pack offirecrackers.
Stacie (03:40):
Well, don't forget the comments about how someone's dog
is scared to death and how theydon't appreciate these
youngsters setting off fireworksat all hours of the night.
Kevin (03:49):
Well, I can get some of those that have gone off at two
or three in the morning
Stacie (03:53):
and scared the dickens
Kevin (03:54):
outta us.
Yeah, we're with them on those.
Stacie (03:57):
Yeah.
Well, I mean, I get it.
A lot of pets do get frightenedand you know, we're lucky.
Our yellow lab, Gracie does not.
Uh, the thing is, in our city,we're not allowed to set off
fireworks.
But the city next to us, whichwe are near the border of, does
allow those so-called safe andsane fireworks to be set off all
year long.
And even though that's notwhat's being set off, we think
(04:20):
that that's why we hear'em sooften.
Which leads us to our first tip.
Remind your tenants of thefireworks laws for the city
where your rental resides.
Or if you have a rental in anHOA and they have specific rules
about setting fireworks off.
And along with this as areminder about if you allow safe
(04:42):
and insane fireworks at yourrental, regardless of it being
allowed in that city or HOA,because most landlords have a
clause in their lease thatstates something along the lines
of, no explosives are allowed onthe property.
And if that's you, cut and pastethat clause into the email to
remind tenants that they are notallowed to store nor set off
(05:03):
fireworks on your property,whether it's legal to do so in
the city or not.
And here's why that's important.
You know, people like to showoff.
They like to do a firework showfor the kids or their guests or
neighbors.
And as we see in videos everysingle year, those fireworks
cause a fire or they injuresomeone.
(05:26):
If your tenant sets off afirework and things go awry, you
could be liable for injuries ordamage to someone else's
property.
That could be a home or avehicle, all because you did not
tell them they could not haveexplosives of any matter on your
property.
You know, and insurancecompanies are no dummies.
They likely have a clause inyour insurance policy that
(05:48):
excludes coverage for fireworksor explosives and the renter's
insurance policies as well.
So if you do allow fireworks,please make sure that you have
provided guidance on where onyour property they can be set
off, like only on cement areas,like a driveway towards the
street.
And also include tips for fireprevention and safe disposal of
(06:12):
the fireworks, like having ahose or the fire extinguisher
that you've provided nearby.
And a bucket full of water tosoak those fireworks and fully
extinguish them before they toss'em in the trash.
Kevin (06:26):
Yeah.
And if you think, oh, my tenantswon't do that., Well, when Kid
two bought the duplex and theprevious tenants had moved out,
he found fireworks all over theunit.
I mean, mostly in the storagecloset, but several in the
garages and inside cabinets ofthe unit as well.
And this is a decent area ofBoise.
(06:47):
You know, it's a relativelyquiet neighborhood.
Stacie (06:50):
You know, I think Kid two took those home for his own
use.
Kevin (06:53):
You know he did.
And I'm not sure about where helives, but in the city of Boise,
they do allow safe and sanefireworks over two specific
weeks during the year, one overthe fourth, and I believe the
other one is over New Year's.
You know, most cities havefirework shows and big cities
(07:15):
have several locations forshows.
So if you don't allow tenants toset off fireworks, see if there
are shuttles in your area thatare driving residents to one of
these nearby firework shows.
Even if it cost a few bucks forthat ride, maybe offer to pay
for it or something.
Stacie (07:33):
Yeah.
Public transportation is the wayto go for those shows.
Driving in and then back out cantake twice as long as the darn
show.
All right, I wanna take a quickminute and remind you all about
pets and fireworks.
And as we mentioned earlier withour little next door rant, pets
get spooked by fireworks.
(07:54):
Regardless of if it's yourtenants setting them off or if
they're being set off in thearea of your property.
Remind your tenants with pets tomake sure that they are secure,
especially if they are leavingthem home alone at the property.
You know, I will touch on guestsin a moment, but guests can also
be an issue for pets, especiallydogs.
(08:14):
So when they're amped up,because there are guests or
fireworks, that irritation cancause them to bite or try to
escape the property.
You might wanna encourage yourtenants to lock the dog or pet
up in a bedroom and turn the TVon loud, so any noise from the
outside is muffled.
Make sure your tenant has theirrenter's insurance policy all
(08:36):
paid and up to date.
'cause if your tenant's dogbites someone, you can be liable
for allowing that pet to live onyour property.
Kevin (08:45):
Yeah, those are all great points.
And as we have mentioned, yourown insurance policy might have
limitations on breeds and size,so make sure you're on top of
that as well.
Alright, another issue isgrilling.
So one poll we saw said 68% ofpeople grill on the 4th of July.
(09:06):
Now we grill often, I mean, notjust on the 4th of July, so
grilling tips and guidelinesshould also be addressed in your
lease.
And I'm gonna go over a fewquickly.
Never allow people to grill withwood or charcoal fired grills.
Those are the ones that takeforever to fully extinguish
themselves and have the highestinstance of injury and fire
(09:29):
related accidents.
Grilling should be only done ona cement or a gravel surface or
something that will not catchfire should the grease drip down
or the food being grilled causea fire.
Grill should be operated atleast 10 feet from the home or
any structure, again for fireissues.
(09:50):
If you allow grilling, youshould also provide a fire
extinguisher that is servicedannually for those tenants to
use in case of a fire.
You know, these days people usegrills for all kinds of cooking,
not just for grilling meat, andmany larger grills have a burner
on the side to use, so don'tthink for a minute that tenants
(10:11):
won't use that to make friedfoods.
Many people like to fry foodsoutside so they won't have a big
mess to clean up in the kitchenlater.
And if they fill a pot too high,that oil is going over the side
and down into the burner, whichis attached to a propane tank.
I mean, it's a fire hazard forsure.
Stacie (10:32):
The the next thing about summer is your tenants may
invite guests over.
So make sure your guest policyis noted in the lease.
And you guys guest policies arenot just to note how long
someone can stay, although thatis important to include.
It's about the liability ofhaving them in a property that
you own and are responsible for.
(10:54):
If they drink too much and falldown or cause a fight that
injures someone, you could beliable.
So again, make sure that yourlease states that the tenant is
responsible for anyone who theyallow in as a guest.
And of course, all tenantsshould have renter's insurance
to cover them in the unlikelysituation that their guest gets
rowdy or injured.
(11:15):
And listen, you guys, we've allbeen there.
We've had multiple parties wheresomeone drinks too much,
everyone's having a great time,and for us, luckily nothing bad
came of it.
But we have friends who hadguests that left drunk and
drove.
They got pulled over andthankfully they didn't get in an
accident.
But you know, any injuriescaused from drinking that takes
(11:37):
place at your property you canbe liable for, especially if
you're the one who's providedthat alcohol.
Alright, we got a little bit offbase, but we wanted you to
understand that responsibilitycan fall all the way down to the
owner when the question ofliability comes into play.
You know we actually have awhole podcast on our 4th of July
(11:57):
tips.
Uh, it's episode 65 and we'lllink it in the show notes and
it's basically a deep dive on,on everything we just discussed.
Kevin (12:06):
And we also have a 4th of July tenant safety PDF, that you
can send your tenants when doinga quick email reminder.
Or if you have a multi-familyproperty, you can post it around
there too.
It's free and you can find thelink to download in the show
notes as well.
Alright, the next area of summerreminders we wanted to touch on
(12:29):
is how to help your tenants staycool during a heat wave.
Now we have air conditioningunits in all of our rentals, and
every spring we have our HVACtech go out to our Sacramento
and Idaho properties and checkthose AC units to make sure
they're all working properly.
Listen, all it took was onetenant having no AC during 110
(12:53):
degree heatwave to get us tounderstand we need to make sure
they are working before the hotweather hits.
Because trying to get any airconditioning repair man out
during a heatwave is pretty muchimpossible, believe us.
So for us, our HVAC tech willneed access to the unit to
properly check the airconditioning and thermostat and
(13:16):
make sure they are both workingproperly.
They also check the vents tomake sure that the airflow is
good.
So you'll want to make sure thatyour air vents are not covered
by furniture, which can restrictthe airflow.
And lastly, for Idaho, theservice we pay includes a new
air filter.
When an air filter is clogged,that reduces the airflow to your
(13:38):
actual unit, which makes it workmuch harder than needed and can
over time cause it to fail.
I mean, it's like never changingyour oil in your car.
The dirty oil over time willclog lines and eventually cause
your engine to fail.
For us during each fall and eachspring inspection, we install
(13:59):
new air filters no matter what.
This ensures that we are doingwhat we can to keep our heaters
and air conditioners as healthyas possible.
One thing that is recommended,and we have not done this in a
couple years, but it's to have atech go out and check the duct
work..
It is very common for the tapearound where the two ducts come
(14:19):
together to tear or you know,loosen over time.
When that happens, you will haveleaks of air, whether hot or
cold, which significantlyreduces the effectiveness of
your heating and airconditioning systems.
According to the US Departmentof Energy, about 20% to 30% of
the air that moves through theduct system can be lost due to
(14:41):
leaks, holes, and poorlyconnected ducts.
So simple steps like using metaltape or mastic sealant to seal
any leaks and insulating ductsthat pass through unheated
spaces can make a big differencein your system's efficiency.
And when your system is workingat its highest efficiency, that
(15:02):
will one, extend the life ofyour heaters and air
conditioners.
And two, be much more efficientfor your tenants.
Because they'll have units thatwork better, their costs could
be less.
When they save money, they'regoing to be thankful and wanna
stay in your rental longer.
It's no secret that the numberone thing people leave rentals
(15:24):
for is that they are notmaintained properly.
When your lack of preventativemaintenance causes higher
heating and cooling bills foryour tenant, they will take
notice and move to live in aunit where the landlord does
have their best interest inmind.
We also have an episodededicated to helping tenants
cope through heatwaves.
So if you'd like to learn more,check out episode nine, which we
(15:48):
have also linked in the shownotes.
Stacie (15:50):
Yeah, there's a lot of things that landlords can do to
help tenants deal with their hotsummer heat.
You know, ceiling fans arereally helpful.
Making sure that the windows,doors seal well to keep the hot
air out and the cool air in isalso important.
Providing window coverings toblock out sun is a huge help.
(16:10):
You know, I used to tease my momwhen I was a kid about how we
lived in a dungeon because she'ddraw all the drapes during heat
waves and everything was sodark, but our house was a lot
cooler.
So, I mean, it's, it'sdefinitely something that I have
picked up and I do.
Also advising tenants not to usethe stove on hot days is, is
(16:33):
important because that heat thatcomes from the oven is
essentially like turning on aheater.
These are a few of the tips thatwe have in an email template
that we send every single yearto our tenants about two or
three days before the firstsummer heatwave.
Now, if you'd like it, you candownload that email template for
free.
We have it linked in the shownotes for you.
(16:55):
And listen, I wanna circle backreal quick to what Kevin was
saying about preventativemaintenance.
There are a lot of articles outthere that say in the summer,
you should be doing all yourpreventative maintenance on your
properties, you know, yourpersonal homes or even your
rentals.
And we kind of disagree.
Early spring is the best time toget a lot of those jobs done.,
(17:17):
Unless you're dealing with highsnow levels like in the
mountains.
Pruning and trimming trees andbushes, cleaning up landscaping,
checking all the plumbing,prepping pools and barbecue
areas, checking your smoke andyour carbon monoxide detectors,
servicing the air conditioning.
Those are all things best doneduring a spring maintenance and
(17:40):
inspection day.
You know, for one, the heat ofsummer can make those jobs
difficult.
And two.
A lot of locations in the UStenants begin to use their
outdoor space in the spring, andthey want it all spruced up
before summer hits.
And three, that is when it'shardest to get people to work on
your property.
(18:00):
You know, roofers don't wanna beinspecting or replacing roofs in
the debt of summer.
And bushes and landscaping isgonna look barren if you wait
until summer to trim it.
If you do it in the spring,they're gonna bloom and grow so
there's ample growth and it'sgonna look nicer once summer
hits.
And if you wanna know what we doduring our spring inspection,
(18:22):
check out episode three, wherewe break down each thing that we
do during our spring inspectionand why.
We also offer a springmaintenance checklist that if
you haven't done your springinspections yet, might be useful
to have and follow.
We'll put a link to both ofthose in the show notes.
Kevin (18:39):
And one last tip we have is if you have kids who are able
to do some work around yourproperty, like, you know, mow
lawns or power wash, or if youexperience a turnover, maybe
they can help clean or paint.
Summer is a great time to showyour kids what to do.
I mean, give them someresponsibility and in return,
pay them for their time, becauseyou and your kids get a huge tax
(19:03):
break if they work in yourrental property business.
There are several things thatyour kids can do in your
business over their summer breakto earn some tax free money for
tasks that you might have to paysomeone else to handle.
We did an episode way back, uh,episode five, where we talked
all about the advantages ofemploying your children.
(19:23):
There are many benefits to doingthis and not just tax breaks.
They learn new skills, you getto spend time with them, they
learn to be responsible fortasks, and help be a part of and
build your rental propertybusiness.
In our episode, in addition tothe tax breaks, we break
different jobs down by age,showing that no matter how old
(19:44):
they are, they can work andhelp.
And it's not forever, it's justodd jobs for them to do a little
here and there over their summervacation.
We will link that episode in theshow notes for you also.
All right, you guys, I want toremind you all that we have a
contest to celebrate our 100thepisode going on.
So Stacie and I have decided tostart doing a little landlord or
(20:07):
property management coaching onthe side.
And to kick this off, we aregiving away one free hour of
coaching, which is valued at ahundred dollars.
Get it a hundred dollars gift tocelebrate our hundredth episode.
To enter there is a link in theshow notes, or you can go to
your landlord resource.com.
contest 100.
(20:29):
So you can enter there and for abonus entry, you can leave us a
kind review for the podcast.
You just want to make sure we'reable to align your review with
your online entry.
So don't make an anonymousreview.
Make sure it has a way for us toconnect them together so you get
proper credit.
Like use your first name andinitial of your last name.
(20:52):
The link to leave the reviewwill be in the show notes.
We are also announcing thiscontest on Instagram and
Facebook.
Stacie (21:01):
And we are running this contest through the month of
June in 2025.
It ends at midnight PacificDaylight Time, June 30th, 2025,
specifically 11:59 PM Pacific onJune 30th.
So if you're listening to thisepisode in the future, you can
still sign up for coaching, justnot the contest for a free
(21:23):
session.
All right, let's do a quickrecap.
4th of July is a prime day forbarbecues, guests, and
fireworks.
All things that you as alandlord need to make sure that
you are covering yourself for.
Check your lease to make surethat you have addressed
grilling, your guest policy,your rules on fireworks and
(21:46):
explosives or hazardousmaterials.
Also, make sure your tenant'srental insurance policy is up to
date, has a correct address forcoverage and includes you as an
interested party on the policy.
If you have not already, getover to your rental and do an
inspection.
When you do, and if applicable,hire an HVAC company to come and
(22:10):
service your air conditioner andcheck the duct work.
If you have young kids, and thisdoes apply to grandkids too,
have them work for you in yourrental property business.
They can clean, paint, do yardwork and for the older ones,
they can help in the office byorganizing files and helping you
stay organized for when taxseason rolls around.
(22:33):
And lastly, we have three freedownloads to help you with all
these tasks.
A 4th of July safety tips PDF,that you can email to your
tenants.
An email template that you cansend and communicate.
How two tips for your tenants tostay cool during a heat wave.
(22:54):
And our spring maintenanceinspection checklist for you to
use in case you have not yetdone a property inspection this
year.
And all those are available inour show notes.
Well, this brings us to the endof the episode, and we have a
few housekeeping items to tellyou about before we sign off.
If you enjoyed this episode,would you do us a favor and
(23:16):
leave us a kind review of thepodcast because reviews help
others find out we are the realdeal.
And if you wanna hear more,follow or subscribe to the
podcast so that each week theepisodes are downloaded right to
your favorite podcast platform.
We'd love to stay in contactwith you.
In the show notes, you can findlinks to all the free downloads
(23:37):
that we offer.
Many of those were mentionedhere today, the heatwave email
template, and the 4th of Julysafety Tips PDF.
We also include ways to sign upfor our free newsletter the wait
list for our upcoming course ontenant screening.
There's also links to ourprivate Facebook group that's
just for landlords and oursocial media accounts on
(23:59):
Instagram, Facebook, as well asYouTube, where we share very
informative and detailed tipsand tricks for landlords, so
check those out.
I think that's about it.
Thanks again for tuning in.
We really do appreciate each andevery one of you listeners.
So until next time, you've gotthis landlords.
The the next thing about summer is your tenants may
invite guests over.
So make sure your guest policyis noted in the lease.
And you guys guest policies arenot just to note how long
someone can stay, although thatis important to include.
It's about the liability ofhaving them in a property that
you own and are responsible for.
(00:22):
If they drink too much and falldown or cause a fight that
injures someone, you could beliable.
So again, make sure that yourlease states that the tenant is
responsible for anyone who theyallow in as a guest.
And of course, all tenantsshould have renter's insurance
to cover them in the unlikelysituation that their guest gets
rowdy or injured.
(00:47):
Welcome to Your LandlordResource podcast.
Many moons ago when I started asa landlord, I was as green as it
gets.
I may have had my real estatelicense, but I lack confidence
and the hands-on experienceneeded when it came to dealing
with tenants, leases,maintenance, and bookkeeping
after many failed attempts.
Fast forward to today, Kevin andI have doubled our doors and
(01:08):
created an organized.
Professionally operated rentalproperty business.
Want to go from overwhelm toconfident if you're an ambitious
landlord or maybe one in themaking.
Join us as we provide strategiesand teach actionable steps to
help you reach your goals andthe lifestyle you desire.
All well building is streamlinedand profitable rental property
(01:29):
business.
This is Your Landlord ResourcePodcast.
Hello landlords and thank you for tuning into the
Your Landlord Resource Podcast.
I'm your host, Stacie Casella,and I'm here with my co-host for
the podcast and in life, KevinKilroy.
Kevin (01:49):
Hey there.
I appreciate you all listeningto what we have to say about
being self-managing landlords.
Stacie (01:55):
So before we begin, I wanna remind everyone that we
have a contest going on that isending soon.
So keep listening to the end andwe will go over how you can
enter to win one free hour ofcoaching from Kevin and I.
So if you're like Kevin and I,you are super busy.
So we are going to jump rightinto this week's episode, which
(02:19):
is all of our summer remindersfor you to remember about your
rental properties.
It should be a short episode, sothat's a plus.
We'll be covering somepreventative maintenance items.
How you can help your tenantscope during this hot season.
And what to be mindful of andtips for your tenants for the
(02:40):
upcoming 4th of July holiday.
Kevin (02:43):
Yeah, these are all things we've covered before in
detail, but thought we'd do aquick recap in case you hadn't
caught those episodes or neededto be reminded about these very
important summer season issues.
I think we should start with our4th of July tips first.
And some of these are remindersthat tenants need to know about
(03:04):
all summer long.
It's just that the 4th of Julykind of kicks off the season of
them having guests andbarbecues, and especially using
fireworks.
Stacie (03:14):
Yeah.
I don't know about yourneighborhood, but we have here,
we have fireworks going off allyear long.
Kevin (03:21):
Yeah, and the people on the Nextdoor app have a field
day and it, it never changes.
It's every single day.
I mean, was it a bomb?
Was that gunfire and then thecomments of nope, just someone
setting off an M 80 or a pack offirecrackers.
Stacie (03:40):
Well, don't forget the comments about how someone's dog
is scared to death and how theydon't appreciate these
youngsters setting off fireworksat all hours of the night.
Kevin (03:49):
Well, I can get some of those that have gone off at two
or three in the morning
Stacie (03:53):
and scared the dickens
Kevin (03:54):
outta us.
Yeah, we're with them on those.
Stacie (03:57):
Yeah.
Well, I mean, I get it.
A lot of pets do get frightenedand you know, we're lucky.
Our yellow lab, Gracie does not.
Uh, the thing is, in our city,we're not allowed to set off
fireworks.
But the city next to us, whichwe are near the border of, does
allow those so-called safe andsane fireworks to be set off all
year long.
And even though that's notwhat's being set off, we think
(04:20):
that that's why we hear'em sooften.
Which leads us to our first tip.
Remind your tenants of thefireworks laws for the city
where your rental resides.
Or if you have a rental in anHOA and they have specific rules
about setting fireworks off.
And along with this as areminder about if you allow safe
(04:42):
and insane fireworks at yourrental, regardless of it being
allowed in that city or HOA,because most landlords have a
clause in their lease thatstates something along the lines
of, no explosives are allowed onthe property.
And if that's you, cut and pastethat clause into the email to
remind tenants that they are notallowed to store nor set off
(05:03):
fireworks on your property,whether it's legal to do so in
the city or not.
And here's why that's important.
You know, people like to showoff.
They like to do a firework showfor the kids or their guests or
neighbors.
And as we see in videos everysingle year, those fireworks
cause a fire or they injuresomeone.
(05:26):
If your tenant sets off afirework and things go awry, you
could be liable for injuries ordamage to someone else's
property.
That could be a home or avehicle, all because you did not
tell them they could not haveexplosives of any matter on your
property.
You know, and insurancecompanies are no dummies.
They likely have a clause inyour insurance policy that
(05:48):
excludes coverage for fireworksor explosives and the renter's
insurance policies as well.
So if you do allow fireworks,please make sure that you have
provided guidance on where onyour property they can be set
off, like only on cement areas,like a driveway towards the
street.
And also include tips for fireprevention and safe disposal of
(06:12):
the fireworks, like having ahose or the fire extinguisher
that you've provided nearby.
And a bucket full of water tosoak those fireworks and fully
extinguish them before they toss'em in the trash.
Kevin (06:26):
Yeah.
And if you think, oh, my tenantswon't do that., Well, when Kid
two bought the duplex and theprevious tenants had moved out,
he found fireworks all over theunit.
I mean, mostly in the storagecloset, but several in the
garages and inside cabinets ofthe unit as well.
And this is a decent area ofBoise.
(06:47):
You know, it's a relativelyquiet neighborhood.
Stacie (06:50):
You know, I think Kid two took those home for his own
use.
Kevin (06:53):
You know he did.
And I'm not sure about where helives, but in the city of Boise,
they do allow safe and sanefireworks over two specific
weeks during the year, one overthe fourth, and I believe the
other one is over New Year's.
You know, most cities havefirework shows and big cities
(07:15):
have several locations forshows.
So if you don't allow tenants toset off fireworks, see if there
are shuttles in your area thatare driving residents to one of
these nearby firework shows.
Even if it cost a few bucks forthat ride, maybe offer to pay
for it or something.
Stacie (07:33):
Yeah.
Public transportation is the wayto go for those shows.
Driving in and then back out cantake twice as long as the darn
show.
All right, I wanna take a quickminute and remind you all about
pets and fireworks.
And as we mentioned earlier withour little next door rant, pets
get spooked by fireworks.
(07:54):
Regardless of if it's yourtenants setting them off or if
they're being set off in thearea of your property.
Remind your tenants with pets tomake sure that they are secure,
especially if they are leavingthem home alone at the property.
You know, I will touch on guestsin a moment, but guests can also
be an issue for pets, especiallydogs.
(08:14):
So when they're amped up,because there are guests or
fireworks, that irritation cancause them to bite or try to
escape the property.
You might wanna encourage yourtenants to lock the dog or pet
up in a bedroom and turn the TVon loud, so any noise from the
outside is muffled.
Make sure your tenant has theirrenter's insurance policy all
(08:36):
paid and up to date.
'cause if your tenant's dogbites someone, you can be liable
for allowing that pet to live onyour property.
Kevin (08:45):
Yeah, those are all great points.
And as we have mentioned, yourown insurance policy might have
limitations on breeds and size,so make sure you're on top of
that as well.
Alright, another issue isgrilling.
So one poll we saw said 68% ofpeople grill on the 4th of July.
(09:06):
Now we grill often, I mean, notjust on the 4th of July, so
grilling tips and guidelinesshould also be addressed in your
lease.
And I'm gonna go over a fewquickly.
Never allow people to grill withwood or charcoal fired grills.
Those are the ones that takeforever to fully extinguish
themselves and have the highestinstance of injury and fire
(09:29):
related accidents.
Grilling should be only done ona cement or a gravel surface or
something that will not catchfire should the grease drip down
or the food being grilled causea fire.
Grill should be operated atleast 10 feet from the home or
any structure, again for fireissues.
(09:50):
If you allow grilling, youshould also provide a fire
extinguisher that is servicedannually for those tenants to
use in case of a fire.
You know, these days people usegrills for all kinds of cooking,
not just for grilling meat, andmany larger grills have a burner
on the side to use, so don'tthink for a minute that tenants
(10:11):
won't use that to make friedfoods.
Many people like to fry foodsoutside so they won't have a big
mess to clean up in the kitchenlater.
And if they fill a pot too high,that oil is going over the side
and down into the burner, whichis attached to a propane tank.
I mean, it's a fire hazard forsure.
Stacie (10:32):
The the next thing about summer is your tenants may
invite guests over.
So make sure your guest policyis noted in the lease.
And you guys guest policies arenot just to note how long
someone can stay, although thatis important to include.
It's about the liability ofhaving them in a property that
you own and are responsible for.
(10:54):
If they drink too much and falldown or cause a fight that
injures someone, you could beliable.
So again, make sure that yourlease states that the tenant is
responsible for anyone who theyallow in as a guest.
And of course, all tenantsshould have renter's insurance
to cover them in the unlikelysituation that their guest gets
rowdy or injured.
(11:15):
And listen, you guys, we've allbeen there.
We've had multiple parties wheresomeone drinks too much,
everyone's having a great time,and for us, luckily nothing bad
came of it.
But we have friends who hadguests that left drunk and
drove.
They got pulled over andthankfully they didn't get in an
accident.
But you know, any injuriescaused from drinking that takes
(11:37):
place at your property you canbe liable for, especially if
you're the one who's providedthat alcohol.
Alright, we got a little bit offbase, but we wanted you to
understand that responsibilitycan fall all the way down to the
owner when the question ofliability comes into play.
You know we actually have awhole podcast on our 4th of July
(11:57):
tips.
Uh, it's episode 65 and we'lllink it in the show notes and
it's basically a deep dive on,on everything we just discussed.
Kevin (12:06):
And we also have a 4th of July tenant safety PDF, that you
can send your tenants when doinga quick email reminder.
Or if you have a multi-familyproperty, you can post it around
there too.
It's free and you can find thelink to download in the show
notes as well.
Alright, the next area of summerreminders we wanted to touch on
(12:29):
is how to help your tenants staycool during a heat wave.
Now we have air conditioningunits in all of our rentals, and
every spring we have our HVACtech go out to our Sacramento
and Idaho properties and checkthose AC units to make sure
they're all working properly.
Listen, all it took was onetenant having no AC during 110
(12:53):
degree heatwave to get us tounderstand we need to make sure
they are working before the hotweather hits.
Because trying to get any airconditioning repair man out
during a heatwave is pretty muchimpossible, believe us.
So for us, our HVAC tech willneed access to the unit to
properly check the airconditioning and thermostat and
(13:16):
make sure they are both workingproperly.
They also check the vents tomake sure that the airflow is
good.
So you'll want to make sure thatyour air vents are not covered
by furniture, which can restrictthe airflow.
And lastly, for Idaho, theservice we pay includes a new
air filter.
When an air filter is clogged,that reduces the airflow to your
(13:38):
actual unit, which makes it workmuch harder than needed and can
over time cause it to fail.
I mean, it's like never changingyour oil in your car.
The dirty oil over time willclog lines and eventually cause
your engine to fail.
For us during each fall and eachspring inspection, we install
(13:59):
new air filters no matter what.
This ensures that we are doingwhat we can to keep our heaters
and air conditioners as healthyas possible.
One thing that is recommended,and we have not done this in a
couple years, but it's to have atech go out and check the duct
work..
It is very common for the tapearound where the two ducts come
(14:19):
together to tear or you know,loosen over time.
When that happens, you will haveleaks of air, whether hot or
cold, which significantlyreduces the effectiveness of
your heating and airconditioning systems.
According to the US Departmentof Energy, about 20% to 30% of
the air that moves through theduct system can be lost due to
(14:41):
leaks, holes, and poorlyconnected ducts.
So simple steps like using metaltape or mastic sealant to seal
any leaks and insulating ductsthat pass through unheated
spaces can make a big differencein your system's efficiency.
And when your system is workingat its highest efficiency, that
(15:02):
will one, extend the life ofyour heaters and air
conditioners.
And two, be much more efficientfor your tenants.
Because they'll have units thatwork better, their costs could
be less.
When they save money, they'regoing to be thankful and wanna
stay in your rental longer.
It's no secret that the numberone thing people leave rentals
(15:24):
for is that they are notmaintained properly.
When your lack of preventativemaintenance causes higher
heating and cooling bills foryour tenant, they will take
notice and move to live in aunit where the landlord does
have their best interest inmind.
We also have an episodededicated to helping tenants
cope through heatwaves.
So if you'd like to learn more,check out episode nine, which we
(15:48):
have also linked in the shownotes.
Stacie (15:50):
Yeah, there's a lot of things that landlords can do to
help tenants deal with their hotsummer heat.
You know, ceiling fans arereally helpful.
Making sure that the windows,doors seal well to keep the hot
air out and the cool air in isalso important.
Providing window coverings toblock out sun is a huge help.
(16:10):
You know, I used to tease my momwhen I was a kid about how we
lived in a dungeon because she'ddraw all the drapes during heat
waves and everything was sodark, but our house was a lot
cooler.
So, I mean, it's, it'sdefinitely something that I have
picked up and I do.
Also advising tenants not to usethe stove on hot days is, is
(16:33):
important because that heat thatcomes from the oven is
essentially like turning on aheater.
These are a few of the tips thatwe have in an email template
that we send every single yearto our tenants about two or
three days before the firstsummer heatwave.
Now, if you'd like it, you candownload that email template for
free.
We have it linked in the shownotes for you.
(16:55):
And listen, I wanna circle backreal quick to what Kevin was
saying about preventativemaintenance.
There are a lot of articles outthere that say in the summer,
you should be doing all yourpreventative maintenance on your
properties, you know, yourpersonal homes or even your
rentals.
And we kind of disagree.
Early spring is the best time toget a lot of those jobs done.,
(17:17):
Unless you're dealing with highsnow levels like in the
mountains.
Pruning and trimming trees andbushes, cleaning up landscaping,
checking all the plumbing,prepping pools and barbecue
areas, checking your smoke andyour carbon monoxide detectors,
servicing the air conditioning.
Those are all things best doneduring a spring maintenance and
(17:40):
inspection day.
You know, for one, the heat ofsummer can make those jobs
difficult.
And two.
A lot of locations in the UStenants begin to use their
outdoor space in the spring, andthey want it all spruced up
before summer hits.
And three, that is when it'shardest to get people to work on
your property.
(18:00):
You know, roofers don't wanna beinspecting or replacing roofs in
the debt of summer.
And bushes and landscaping isgonna look barren if you wait
until summer to trim it.
If you do it in the spring,they're gonna bloom and grow so
there's ample growth and it'sgonna look nicer once summer
hits.
And if you wanna know what we doduring our spring inspection,
(18:22):
check out episode three, wherewe break down each thing that we
do during our spring inspectionand why.
We also offer a springmaintenance checklist that if
you haven't done your springinspections yet, might be useful
to have and follow.
We'll put a link to both ofthose in the show notes.
Kevin (18:39):
And one last tip we have is if you have kids who are able
to do some work around yourproperty, like, you know, mow
lawns or power wash, or if youexperience a turnover, maybe
they can help clean or paint.
Summer is a great time to showyour kids what to do.
I mean, give them someresponsibility and in return,
pay them for their time, becauseyou and your kids get a huge tax
(19:03):
break if they work in yourrental property business.
There are several things thatyour kids can do in your
business over their summer breakto earn some tax free money for
tasks that you might have to paysomeone else to handle.
We did an episode way back, uh,episode five, where we talked
all about the advantages ofemploying your children.
(19:23):
There are many benefits to doingthis and not just tax breaks.
They learn new skills, you getto spend time with them, they
learn to be responsible fortasks, and help be a part of and
build your rental propertybusiness.
In our episode, in addition tothe tax breaks, we break
different jobs down by age,showing that no matter how old
(19:44):
they are, they can work andhelp.
And it's not forever, it's justodd jobs for them to do a little
here and there over their summervacation.
We will link that episode in theshow notes for you also.
All right, you guys, I want toremind you all that we have a
contest to celebrate our 100thepisode going on.
So Stacie and I have decided tostart doing a little landlord or
(20:07):
property management coaching onthe side.
And to kick this off, we aregiving away one free hour of
coaching, which is valued at ahundred dollars.
Get it a hundred dollars gift tocelebrate our hundredth episode.
To enter there is a link in theshow notes, or you can go to
your landlord resource.com.
contest 100.
(20:29):
So you can enter there and for abonus entry, you can leave us a
kind review for the podcast.
You just want to make sure we'reable to align your review with
your online entry.
So don't make an anonymousreview.
Make sure it has a way for us toconnect them together so you get
proper credit.
Like use your first name andinitial of your last name.
(20:52):
The link to leave the reviewwill be in the show notes.
We are also announcing thiscontest on Instagram and
Facebook.
Stacie (21:01):
And we are running this contest through the month of
June in 2025.
It ends at midnight PacificDaylight Time, June 30th, 2025,
specifically 11:59 PM Pacific onJune 30th.
So if you're listening to thisepisode in the future, you can
still sign up for coaching, justnot the contest for a free
(21:23):
session.
All right, let's do a quickrecap.
4th of July is a prime day forbarbecues, guests, and
fireworks.
All things that you as alandlord need to make sure that
you are covering yourself for.
Check your lease to make surethat you have addressed
grilling, your guest policy,your rules on fireworks and
(21:46):
explosives or hazardousmaterials.
Also, make sure your tenant'srental insurance policy is up to
date, has a correct address forcoverage and includes you as an
interested party on the policy.
If you have not already, getover to your rental and do an
inspection.
When you do, and if applicable,hire an HVAC company to come and
(22:10):
service your air conditioner andcheck the duct work.
If you have young kids, and thisdoes apply to grandkids too,
have them work for you in yourrental property business.
They can clean, paint, do yardwork and for the older ones,
they can help in the office byorganizing files and helping you
stay organized for when taxseason rolls around.
(22:33):
And lastly, we have three freedownloads to help you with all
these tasks.
A 4th of July safety tips PDF,that you can email to your
tenants.
An email template that you cansend and communicate.
How two tips for your tenants tostay cool during a heat wave.
(22:54):
And our spring maintenanceinspection checklist for you to
use in case you have not yetdone a property inspection this
year.
And all those are available inour show notes.
Well, this brings us to the endof the episode, and we have a
few housekeeping items to tellyou about before we sign off.
If you enjoyed this episode,would you do us a favor and
(23:16):
leave us a kind review of thepodcast because reviews help
others find out we are the realdeal.
And if you wanna hear more,follow or subscribe to the
podcast so that each week theepisodes are downloaded right to
your favorite podcast platform.
We'd love to stay in contactwith you.
In the show notes, you can findlinks to all the free downloads
(23:37):
that we offer.
Many of those were mentionedhere today, the heatwave email
template, and the 4th of Julysafety Tips PDF.
We also include ways to sign upfor our free newsletter the wait
list for our upcoming course ontenant screening.
There's also links to ourprivate Facebook group that's
just for landlords and oursocial media accounts on
(23:59):
Instagram, Facebook, as well asYouTube, where we share very
informative and detailed tipsand tricks for landlords, so
check those out.
I think that's about it.
Thanks again for tuning in.
We really do appreciate each andevery one of you listeners.
So until next time, you've gotthis landlords.
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