Tenant installs swimming pool without permission

[Rick Bassett]

I was doing a property drive-by the other day and noticed one of those Wal-Mart variety 3' swimming pools in the backyard of one of our SFR's. I've never had a tenant install a pool before.

After consulting with my insurance guy, I approached the tenant and told him that he had 2 options; 1) Take it down immediately or we would, 2) Provide us proof of $1m in liability on his renters insurance policy.

Our lease is silent on swimming pools specifically but covers all improvements, which this should fall under.

Have any of you had a tenant put a pool up without asking? If so how did you deal with it?

Rick

[Nathan Gesner]

UGH. Questions like this make my head hurt. I would rather have kids outside playing and enjoying life than sitting inside staring at a screen. Figure out how to protect yourself from liability and protect the property from damage. Then let tenants enjoy the property and live life the way they see fit.

If you're in a litigious state where this is too risky, sell the property and invest in an area that still respects personal freedom and personal responsibility.