Wood burning stove in a rental?

CrawGator · February 17, 2009, 5:37pm

Hello all!

I have purchased a property that I will be rehabbing for rental. It has a nice wood burning stove.

Do you use these in any of your rentals? It seems to go against the grain of keeping it simple for rentals. This house will rent in the $700-$750 range.

Thanks!

kdhastedt · February 17, 2009, 9:09pm

For me? Absolutely, positively NOT!

Rule #1: Tenants should never be trusted to do the right thing.

Wood stoves present liabilities n several fronts:

(a) Fire risk to the property
(b) Burn risks to the tenants (especially children)
(c) Lack of oversight for what is being burned.

I wouldn’t!

Keith

Bluemoon06 · February 17, 2009, 9:56pm

You guys sound like you are in the same neck of the woods. I would guess that you would find a Crawgator in Louisiana.

CrawGator · February 17, 2009, 10:03pm

Thanks for the input!

Yes, my family is from Louisiana! I am in Mississippi though. :biggrin

kdhastedt · February 17, 2009, 10:21pm

What in heaven’s name do you need a wood stove for? It doesn’t even get cold! (BTW - I’m in Wyoming and it does get cold here!)…

Keith

CrawGator · February 17, 2009, 10:39pm

Ha! I’ll have you know its going to be in the low 30’s here this week for lows (highs in the 50’s). That’s practically Antarctic weather around here! :shocked

propertymanager · February 17, 2009, 11:04pm

I wholeheartedly agree with Keith. Operating a wood stove is WAY over the head of the average tenant. JUST SAY NO!!!

Mike

Bluemoon06 · February 18, 2009, 7:30pm

Well I vote no wood stove but I vote you have the best name on the board CrawGator

mwhite · February 21, 2009, 8:01pm

Crawgator? Is that like a turduckin?

furnishedowner · February 21, 2009, 11:05pm

I vote the contrary view. My tenants are above average though! I have 1 wood-burning stove, and several fireplaces.

Just get the chimney swept and inspected for the proper fire brick liner. Have the tools and screen. Have a fire-proof mat in front of the fireplace.
Have an ash bucket and show them the proper way to empty the stove.

You can even give them a pile of starter logs. (They will probably use the stove once or twice and then decide that it’s a lot of work).

Now you can charge more rent for the “Fire Privilege”! Cozyness sells. That’s why people pay more to go to a “Bed and Breakfast” than to stay in Motel 6.

But it depends on who is in your renter pool. I would try for upscale young renters who want to be cozy and I would advertise that wood stove and charge an extra $100/month.

“FOR RENT: Charming 2-bedroom with wood-burning stove. Enjoy your Cozy Fire while you save money on your heating bill. Only $850/month.”

Furnishedowner

Equity · February 22, 2009, 1:11am

Why don’t you let your insurance company decide?

CrawGator · February 25, 2009, 7:16pm

furnishedowner post:10:

I vote the contrary view. My tenants are above average though! I have 1 wood-burning stove, and several fireplaces.

Just get the chimney swept and inspected for the proper fire brick liner. Have the tools and screen. Have a fire-proof mat in front of the fireplace.
Have an ash bucket and show them the proper way to empty the stove.

You can even give them a pile of starter logs. (They will probably use the stove once or twice and then decide that it’s a lot of work).

Now you can charge more rent for the “Fire Privilege”! Cozyness sells. That’s why people pay more to go to a “Bed and Breakfast” than to stay in Motel 6.

But it depends on who is in your renter pool. I would try for upscale young renters who want to be cozy and I would advertise that wood stove and charge an extra $100/month.

“FOR RENT: Charming 2-bedroom with wood-burning stove. Enjoy your Cozy Fire while you save money on your heating bill. Only $850/month.”

Furnishedowner

That sounds great but this neighborhood is not that type of environment!

CrawGator · February 25, 2009, 8:10pm

I checked with insurance agent and the rate is same with or without.

propertymanager · February 25, 2009, 10:41pm

It’s the same insurance rate until one of the idiots burns your house down - then the rate will go up!

Mike

CrawGator · February 25, 2009, 11:21pm

LOL, true. From what I have read and seen, they don’t need a fireplace to burn a place down!

Brian06 · February 26, 2009, 1:14pm

It totally depends on the type of area and tenants you are marketing to. I would like woodburning stove in a place I was staying in. But I would never never ever put it in a place I rented out. The smell, the risk, the cleanliness, etc. If they forget to open the flue and smoke up the house you can market it as “cabin-like”.