Criminal Activity
Tenants have sued landlords for failing to take reasonable steps to protect them from crime, especially when the landlords were aware that a similar crime already occurred in that location.
So, if you have access to crime reports about theft and other petty crimes around the neighborhood; you would be well-advised to disclose this information to your Silicon Valley tenants.
Granted in majority of Silicon Valley neighborhoods the types of crime are limited to personal property damage, but your tenants are still entitled to know about these activities. After all this is material information that could alter their decision to rent your Silicon Valley property or not.
For these reasons we strongly advise our clients to take the following steps:
- Provide good lighting and window and door locks. Equip the exterior of the home with motion detector lights which are good deterrents.
- Sign up with 24 hours monitoring service companies who provide yard signs which are also effective in deterring criminal activity.
- Regularly inspect security systems.
- Notify your tenants immediately if you are notified of a dangerous situation in the neighborhood.
- If there is suspicious activity and notify the police and warn your tenants by email and keep copies of these electronic communications.
Some of the Silicon Valley metro areas do suffer from gang activity and other crimes which will require more aggressive measures. Depending on the size of the property you are managing you post a security guard in the entrance of your renal apartment complex.
Needless to say, the cost of these measure are deductible from your expenses, but an ounce of prevention could go a long way towards protecting you in case you are dragged into California court to defend yourself as a landlord.
What are you doing to proect your San Jose, Campell, Los Gatos and Sar