Do tenants replace light bulbs or should your maintenance folks replace rental housing light bulbs, and with what type of bulb, is this week’s question for veteran landlord and property manager Hank Rossi.
Dear Landlord Hank:
Do tenants replace light bulbs or do you have maintenance replace tenant light bulbs vs asking tenants to replace bulbs themselves? Some light fixtures can be difficult to work with. And, are you replacing with LED bulbs when you do it? What are you putting in leases about this these days?
-Nancy
Dear Landlady Nancy,
I make sure initial walk through states that all light bulbs are working for a new lease.
I also write into the lease that tenant is responsible for burned out bulbs during the lease, so tenants replace light bulbs.
In areas that are difficult to access (high ceilings, etc.) I use long lasting bulbs, otherwise I use what is on sale.
If a tenant can’t reach a light bulb or can’t replace a bulb in a fixture we can have maintenance do so with understanding, up front, that tenant pays for this service.
Sincerely,
Hank Rossi
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