No Comments

Only You Can Prevent Kitchen Fires

Only you can prevent kitchen fires

Kitchen fires account for 50 percent of all rental property fires each year. Tenants start cooking, get distracted, and unwittingly start dangerous and destructive fires. You can’t remove kitchens from your properties, but implementing preventive measures to minimize fire risk is essential to tenant safety and protecting your property.

Start a conversation

Practice excellent customer service to keep the lines of communication open and provide helpful tips to raise awareness and safety protocols, including the following:

  • Reminding residents to never leave anything cooking on the stove, even for a minute. 
  • Sharing the latest statistics, highlighting how unattended cooking is responsible for the most deaths. 
  • Asking for regular feedback on how cooking equipment works and sharing tips on cleaning and maintenance. 

Your safety conversation should include educating tenants on your property’s specific emergency plan and how tenants can protect their lives and possessions. 

Establish an emergency plan

Allow for human mistakes, and walk new tenants through what to do in case of kitchen fires. Provide a fire extinguisher, and teach them how to use it and when. Help residents report a fire and evacuate quickly by posting metal signs on every stairwell and each floor.

Provide incentives for renters’ insurance

Encourage tenants to purchase renters’ insurance (or make it mandatory) and provide some resources at lease signing. Consider offering a discount on rent for those with an active renters’ insurance policy. After a fire, if investigators determine that a tenant’s negligence started a fire, the tenant’s insurance will pick up the bill. Just make sure their policy covers fire due to negligence. It will be worth a small monthly discount in the long run.

Make fire prevention and response a significant part of your maintenance and tenant communication plans to prevent catastrophic damage and loss of life. Also, bring employees into the planning and training efforts to keep tenants and staff on the same page and ensure rapid response in an emergency.

Protect your property from kitchen fires by working with Class A Management

Property managers play a vital role in protecting your property investment. If you’re ready to have your property managed properly, contact the asset management experts at Class A Management. 

Our comprehensive management strategies include helping you develop safety procedures specific to your property. We also create local connections with insurance agents to provide the resources your tenants need to find affordable insurance. We will help you in every way to create an environment that prevents kitchen fires. 

No Comments

5 Steps to Create Renters Insurance Texas Partnerships

5 Steps to Create Renters Insurance Texas Partnerships

The main focus for new residents is getting moved in and back to their normal lives, which means they often overlook one essential thing: renters insurance. Texas doesn’t require insurance, but many properties insist on proof of insurance when signing a lease. 

Renters insurance covers the resident’s belongings and contains liability clauses that protect property owners. The average renters insurance policy costs $15 per month in Texas. It’s a relatively small price compared to the thousands of dollars worth of damage or catastrophic loss that can happen during a disaster. 

One of the best ways a property manager can help a tenant prepare for an emergency is to inform them about insurance options and create an easy way to get a policy. 

Educate your renters before they move in 

Cathy Fontana, owner and CEO of Class A Management advises, “the best way property managers can help inform renters about their insurance options is to educate them when discussing the lease agreement.” 

Taking a few minutes to educate your renters on the benefits and requirements of renters insurance can save significant time and money should any damage happen to the property. The best way to do this is to create community partnerships with local insurance agents willing to work with your residents, then present these opportunities to a potential resident during the leasing appointment. 

Create partnerships in 5 steps

Establish partnerships with local insurance agents who would love to market to your residents and help them make informed decisions about protecting their assets. Here’s a plan of action:

  1. Call up local insurance companies and ask if they’d like to market to your renters.
  2. Schedule an open house for insurance representatives to pre-approve your property for rental policies. Let them know their rates should be competitive because they will be offered side-by-side with other agent quotes.
  3. Put together an information sheet for renters with general education, stats, average monthly policy premiums, and contact information for all the local agencies that have pre-approved your property for coverage.
  4. Include a one-minute pitch for renters’ insurance coverage when discussing the lease with new tenants.

Instead of setting up all of this information on your own, work with Class A Management to create community partnerships that offer coverage for your residents. Creating resident resources to educate residents is part of our comprehensive property management services

Renters insurance: Texas partnerships through Class A Management

Class A Management has been active in many Texas communities for over 40 years. Over time, our team of expert property managers has created community connections with many businesses, including insurance agents, and passed on opportunities to our property owners and residents. 

Contact us if you are a property owner who wants to review and update your property’s policies regarding renters insurance. Texas communities we serve have many options for your residents.