Boat parking on property

[Arron Achey]

Hello everybody, 

So I'm a new landlord, and trying to manage the property myself, and at the point of designing my first lease and corresponding renewal for the 1 unit of my duplex I just purchased. I hope to keep the downstairs tenant for another year so trying to accommodate a request or two as we discussed the renewal very briefly not too ago. The tenant inquired about if she could keep her boat, supposedly small, to the side of the home. In my location, Hampton Roads VA, on the side yard you can have a watercraft no higher than 6 feet tall and I believe it's worded that it has to be pushed back to the line of the home so the home actually may accommodate it quite well without it being much of an eye sore either.

In my head I'm obviously not closed off to this idea, maybe charge a small increase in additional rent maybe for the duration, but just curious for those who have had the question or experience if it's just better to stay away from allowing this all together?

Thanks everyone for your input!

[Andrew Freed]

@Arron Achey - If the tenant treats your unit right, pays on time and is nice to deal with then I would do my best to work with the tenant. At the end of the day, this is their home too and we should do our best as landlords to have them vested in the property just as much as you are. I'd rather give a small concession and keep a good tenant as opposed to have a vacancy, incur turn costs, list the unit, and then have to deal with the uncertainty of a new tenant.