I know this may seem harsh, however, screen doors are a maintenance nightmare. When we purchase a new rental property with screen doors already in place, we exclude the maintenance of them with the new rental agreement we encourage the tenants to sign.
If during the process of a tenancy the tenant wants a screen door, we give them the approval providing the screen door is removed upon vacancy, and the door frame is restored to original condition.
In principle, this is how we handle the screen door issue, however, we've made exceptions. For instance, we had a senior citizen asking for a screen door who had been with us for several years. She also took good care of the property. Naturally, we gave her a screen door!
Related: Pick The Right Contractor | Cut The Contractor Loose
So you still want to keep the screen door? Well, consider Screen Door Saver products!
Wise advice!! There are so many optional items that need to be treated in this manner.
I love renters. They provide me with a great passive income, but there are certain boundaries that need to be drawn to protect my interests.
Thank you!!
Great information to have. We have tenants and we have recently put sceen/storm doors on the back of the duplex and it was less expensive than gutters because the rain gaurd on the roof wasn't diverting the rain enough and the water was causing damage around the back door. So in this case the doors were a necsessity. But I do see your point.
I love screen doors, it lets the breeze flow through the home and keeps the mosquitos out.
I think this is a wonderful idea! The tenants are allowed the opportunity to enjoy a screened door, while leaving you as the owner without any liability for it's repair if ever needed. I'll have to remember this for any future properties.
I can't agree with you more. I have seen what tenants do to properties and how badly dinged up screen doors can get and the frame around them too. I love screen doors too, but how I take care of my screen door and how a tenant abuses a screen door are two completely different matters.
Joe,
How funny! Your Blog's title caught my eye because as I work from home today I was absolutely certain I had let out the dogs and kept only the screen door shut (to allow for the wonderful cool breeze we're having) and as I was working at my desk, my large dog came and licked my arm! That in itself is not surprising...the question is: who let her in?
She learned how to open the screen door and allow herself and our new puppy into the house...How did she do this? Well, there are three tiny holes on the bottom corner of the screened door...and that allowed her to stick her paw into it...and now I'm looking at replacing OUR screen too...I have no screen doors on any of our rental properties for this precise reason either! However, I must have them as I love the cooler weather we're having here in Central Florida...
Screen doors are a problem especially when there are pets and children involved.
Amen brother!! Been a landlord for 20 years now and this is the best advice I have ever heard!!! Can we do it on windows too!! LOL Kids would fall out of them but dang I get so sick of seeing bent frames all over!!
@Tami,
I'll try the window thing. I'm thinking it may not work! lol
@Rebecca,
Some of the reasoning behind the screen door conclusion comes from the abuse my very own pets have placed upon our screen door(s). We won't talk about the big pets, the kids!
Hello, welcome to Active Rain! This seems like a wonderful environment to network as well as learn from others. I hope you enjoy yourself and participate often in the Active Rain environment!
Welcome and congrats on signing as a new member of ActiveRain. Being a new member myself and entering into my second month, I truly see the awsome advantage that blogging can be; (and it's fun). Seems to be the beginning of a healthy and wealthy relationship of abundant professionals. Everyone has been so very kind. And so much to read!!! Hope to see your blogs in the future. Best of Luck, Nance
Welcome to Active Rain! This is a great website for building your business, as well as learning from others. Pat yourself on the back, because you made a GREAT choice in joining the blogosphere!
Write often, and write whatever comes to mind. Blogs about personal topics and non-real estate items are often the best. It helps your readers to bond with you, and ends up bringing you a lot of business!
Good luck with your future blogging. If you'd like more info on points in Active Rain, I wrote a blog about it (click here). Feel free to ask me any questions if you need a hand!
Hi Joe, Welcome to AR, Be a Blogholic and start writing your own blog soon on AR. All the best for your RE business. This is the right place for customers, friends, realtionships etc.
Best - Sash
PS: FREE blog traffic strategy video...Hope this will help you... click here
Thanks Sash, I watched the video and will be signing up for Blog Rush! ;)
I've never provided screen doors OR permissions. Residents leave their door open and lock the screen door and think they have security * NOT!!! They will also run the AC with the door open and AC the WHOLE WORLD....with today's construction, screen doors should not longer be installed.
I DO provide high end storm doors with screen glass inserts which opens up the entry and can be locked securely. I keep a key to the storm door for entry in an emergency.
Providing storm doors makes multi-units' exteriors appear uniform and eliminates the problem with heat and AC,
We do not provide screen doors for your reasons mentioned. Good advice.
I think you need to look at who your renters are. We had a couple in their late '20s but she was the Unitarian minister in a neighboring town. They asked for a screen door & we installed one, and never had a problem over 5 yrs.