Ceiling Fans in Rentals

[Michael Ding]

Hi everyone!

I recently purchased a rental property in the Tampa Bay area.

The house did not come with any light fixtures. I was wondering if I should replace the lights with light fixtures or with ceiling fans (that have light fixtures).

PROS:

Could make the house easier to rent out

CONS:

Another thing to break in the house (especially since fans are mechanical)

What are your thoughts on this issue? Please advise

I want to thank everyone in advance for their time and help!

[Ryan Lott]

@Raymond B.,

Look I did it - thanks for the help! Although, I'm a little embarrassed as gen Y'er that I wasn't able to figure it out on my own...

[Mary Joe]

Thanks for your post, it just reminds me that I have to ask  my contractor to remove the existing ceiling fan.  Guess I am probably the only person who does want want ceiling fans in my rental.

As a landlord, my #1 priority is to reduce liability. One lawsuit can easily wipe out everything I have.  

I am always worried that the ceiling fan was not installed correctly, last thing I want is for the fan to fall on my tenant's head. 

A rental is a liability generating asset, there are a lot of things we can do to reduce our exposure, even something as basic as a ceiling fan. 

[Gerald Gaddy]

I decided to stop installing ceiling fans because the tenants damage them by yanking the chain too hard when turning on the fan.  If I had a rental property in a warmer climate all year round, I would install them. But in the state of Virginia, we have all four seasons of the weather climate.

[Gerald Gaddy]

Quote from @Mary Joe:

Thanks for your post, it just reminds me that I have to ask  my contractor to remove the existing ceiling fan.  Guess I am probably the only person who does want want ceiling fans in my rental.

As a landlord, my #1 priority is to reduce liability. One lawsuit can easily wipe out everything I have.  

I am always worried that the ceiling fan was not installed correctly, last thing I want is for the fan to fall on my tenant's head. 

A rental is a liability generating asset, there are a lot of things we can do to reduce our exposure, even something as basic as a ceiling fan. 

[Richard F.]

Aloha,

I realize this is a very old thread that just got bumped, but it is also a good topic.

Depending on your climate, fans can be very important for improving the comfort of your tenants any time of year, and are especially important for lower income folks that might not have, or be able to afford to operate, AC; or that are in older homes with high ceilings. Properly sized fans, operating properly (at move in, instruct the tenants on the method and purpose for changing direction of rotation to push hot air down, or pull cool air up) can dramatically improve the comfort level for very minimal operating cost. 

I nearly always recommend fan/light combos to be installed in bedrooms and the main living space. NEVER in kitchens,bathrooms, and dining rooms, however! It is most important to ensure they are installed properly...you cannot just use a machine screw to attach to an existing ceiling junction box! You need to either use a machine screw WITH a nut to secure it on the inside (after checking the box itself is well secured to begin with); or a made for the purpose "joist ceiling fan mount"; or appropriate concrete anchors for a concrete ceiling. You also should never just run an exposed, decorative, extension to plug in power. Run surface mold properly, or additional circuits as recommended by a licensed electrician.

The pull chain switches do get damaged occasionally, however I always make it a point at move in inspections to instruct Tenants on proper and careful usage (don't jerk the chain, gently pull it in a direction straight out from the opening, not down at a sharp angle, potentially breaking certain styles of light shades), AND that they will be responsible for repair. The pull chain switches are usually pretty easy to simply replace the entire pull switch on most models. A generic replacement switch usually is all you need. A competent person can change one in about 10 minutes after killing the power!

[Alan Asriants]

Recessed lighting in my opinion is one of the best ROIs. Its modern, adds plenty of light, and no moving parts. Although I have seen quality renters tell me they would like to have a ceiling fan.