@Maura O'Connor In regards to using the Wi-Fi in your tenantâs rental unit, why not set up and control the property Wi-Fi yourself?
Controlling the Wi-Fi in your rentals provides many advantages to a landlord. It does take time and effort to set up your own Wi-Fi Single Family or Multi-Family Wi-Fi system, but if properly set up, the system can thereafter save a landlord time and effort in multiple ways. A landlord-controlled Wi-Fi system can also become another source of revenue for the landlord by adding a small ser-charge to the landlord's actual costs (Especially useful in Multi-family buildings or rent by room housing).
It is also possible that Landlord controlled Wi-Fi can saving money for tenants. A knowledgeable landlord can often find and/or negotiate a better month to month price for unlimited broadband internet service, while saving each new tenant the cost, hassle and interim downtime of acquiring new service.
The advantages of controlling your own Wi-Fi, in addition to monitoring smoking, are the ability to control and record property access via Wi-Fi controlled and Wi-Fi programmable entry locks and gate and driveways monitors. Control of the property Wi-Fi also permits recording security cameras outside the building (and inside common halls, storage areas etc.). You can set the timing of outside yard, perimeter and building lights. Control of your Wi-Fi enables the landlord to create a direct audio and/or video intercom from your cell phone to any location on the property (similar to or with a ring doorbell). You can receive automatic notice when an unusual number of people are on the property (https://www.partysquasher.com ). You can know and record when, for how long, and how much energy is used by the house heating system. You can automatically warn you tenants when their cooking is to smoky and when CO2 levels are rising. You know, receive notice, and automatically record every time a house smoke or CO2 alarm goes off. (https://nest.com/ )
You can also set up a network attached storage device to create tenant accessible files for your property manual, appliance manuals, how to manuals (for septic systems, wood stoves, property photos, tenant lease documents contact numbers, neighbor information, shopping info, utility info etc.) -files that you can update, change, add or delete from anywhere; and you can monitor in real time the power consumption of the entire property $50 to $350 plus install costs (https://www.postscapes.com/Wi-Fi-home-energy-monitor-neurio/ ) ( https://www.bluelineinnovations.com/ ). One whole house energy monitor can identify, record and report in real time the energy consumption of pretty much any electrical device on the property $300 +installation (https://sense.com/ ) ( https://www.schneider-electric.us/en/home/smart-home/wiser/wiser-app/ ). For example with the Sense energy monitor, a landlord can tell when, if ever, and for how long, a vacuum or carpet cleaner is used, when a garbage disposal, water heater, well or septic pump runs. When the home is occupied or when it is vacant. When, if ever, almost any electrical device is used (It does take some training/set up of the software app.
Alternatively, it is possible to separately monitor and accurately record in real time each individual circuits on the Property $1400 ( https://shop.dentinstruments.com/products/powerscout-12-multi-circuit-power-submeter?src=sidebar ), and or to monitor the electrical consumption of any individual appliance, outlet or switch $20+ (https://www.topgreener.com/ ).
It is also possible to use Wi-Fi to automatically and remotely turn your rental property water on/off, to monitor your properties for leaks, frozen pipes, to submeter and record water and or gas usage and know if there is a leak even before your tenants know $70 to $300 ( https://www.phyn.com/
https://getpani.com/
https://www.honeywellhome.com/en/products/water-alarms
https://try.flumetech.com/smart-home-water-monitor/
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/azapps/osiris-the-65-smart-water-monitor
https://meetflo.com/
https://www.flumetech.com/
Wi-Fi Gas Meters, https://waviot.com/iot/solutions/smart-metering/smart-gas-metering
https://www.ekmmetering.com/collections/gas-meters
https://www.flonidan.com/products-and-solutions/smart-gas-meters
In my view, there are a lot of advantages to Landlord controlling and sub billing the Wi-Fi system in his/her rental units. Knowing when someone is smoking on the property is just one.
