Does a rental need curtains

[Dave Laird]

I'm list my first rental this week. Do I need to provide curtains? Are there pros and cons?

What about window blinds? 

Cheers

Dave

[Wanda Wilkinson]

Dave, my partner and I only own 3 rental houses, so I’m not an expert. But, I have put much thought into window coverings. I definitely provide new window blinds for every window, in white. I use only cordless window blinds in our houses, due to safety issues, unless the window is very high which is pretty rare. I use cordless window blinds from Lowe’s that come in standard sizes and only cost about 5-6 dollars apiece. You really have to look for them, others are easily 30.00 apiece. They are easy to put up once you get the hang of it. 
I know some others will disagree, but I also put up inexpensive curtain rods without curtains. Why would I do that?  Our houses are older and have plaster walls and woodwork around the windows. I have seen renters put in curtain rods with enormous roofing nail and giant screws that literally split the woodwork. Or you have the lovely Spider-Man sheets nailed into the woodwork of the kids’ bedrooms.  I just renovated a lovely craftsman with literally 100 years of nails in the oak woodwork. 
     If the renters don’t want curtains, they can store the curtain rods in the garage.