Tenant Asking for New Windows Due to Bad Air Quality

[Al Lee]

Have a SFH in California rented to tenant for 1.5 years. To ensure we get a larger pool of tenants to select from when we listed it for rent, we priced it at the lower side (slightly below) the market rate at that time. The lease was just renewed a few months ago and we did not raise rent due to CORVID-19 conditions. It is currently rented about 15% under the market rate.

Shortly after the tenant moved in, he has been asking about the windows in the house about them being single pane aluminum windows and they are not efficient.  

Recently the tenant sent me this request "...he smoke from the fires is becoming a major issue in the bay area and happens almost every summer now. This time the fires started earlier than usual so unfortunately we may face a long smokey summer. The issue is that as you know the windows in the house are the original windows (which means 40+ year old windows) and they aren't insulated, causing air from the outside to flow freely inside. Therefore with all the alerts asking all houses to close all windows, it doesn't really help in our case as the house is not insulated. We've bought 3 high quality air filters but the air quality inside the house is still bad.Since big fires are the new normal for CA, we wanted to ask you to consider replacing the windows with new windows which will allow us to keep the air inside the house healthy and clean for us and our kids. ...".

We have no plans to replace the windows and trying to figure you what the best response would be.  I was planing to state - "The conditions of the windows are exactly the same as when the lease was signed, prior to the lease signing the all aspects of the house was may available for full inspection at that time.  We under the concern over air quality as it affects us all, however we have no plans to upgrade the windows."

Should that suffice?

 

[David Avery]

No offence, but he is a tenant.  He took house as in condition and your not responsible for anything unless obvious @ major appliance stops working, smoke alarms that are bad, etc.   He stated that the fires are bad every year and its not like he moved their from Florida.

I can replace windows up to 4 feet by 4 feet for $300 per window.  If there is 12 windows $3600.  If your in a position to up grade your property, Say sure, but rent will increase $200 a month. Re write his lease for 18 months and he paid for your up grade, everyone is a winner!!!

Chicken Dinner!

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