New Year’s Eve is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States. People from all walks of life all over the country come together in this joyous event to bid farewell to the year that has gone by and pave the way for the new year to come. Private parties and get-togethers are frequent, as well as significant public events to celebrate the year that was and of course counting down the minutes for the incoming new year. Your Worcester tenants will most probably join in on the fun and will want to celebrate New Year’s Eve too with a social event of some kind. It is for this particular reason that renters throwing parties in your rental homes has to be given clear and precise instructions on what are the things that are allowed and what are prohibited. It’s crucial that your tenants know what can be done to make sure parties are kept under control and how to take a proactive approach, from the language in your lease documents to proper enforcement of its terms.
It is a tough job to keep track of your tenants’ New Year’s Eve celebrations and keep it from becoming the kind of parties that increase the risk of damage and liability because it grew from something simple to something massive and hard to control. Questions like the number of people allowed that is considered too much already, or can (and should) you try to limit your tenants from consuming alcohol? What about if your tenants want to set off fireworks or noisemakers at midnight?
All of these questions (and more) can all be discussed in your lease documents. The wording in your lease should explicitly limit the number of guests allowed on the property at any given time, with larger numbers necessitating special permission. The specific number can vary, but “no more than 10 for fewer than four hours” is a popular option.
Legally, you can’t ban the consumption of alcohol by your renters, what you can do instead is to include specific language in your lease that addresses illegal activities and lays out the specific consequences of letting such activity on your rental property in Worcester. You could also think about prohibiting certain numbers of guests, an unnecessary level of noise, or a large number of cars. Fireworks should be prohibited at all of your rental homes, but you might consider making a special note of holiday-related activities (such as loud music or noisemakers) that would generate a public nuisance for the entire area.
Another thing you can do is to make sure that your tenants have their own renter’s insurance including renter’s legal liability. If a large party does occur on the property, the possibility of damage and injury increases considerably. If damage or injury does happen, you could be held responsible unless your tenants have their insurance coverage.
Ultimately, protecting your rental homes requires that you are diligent in enforcing the terms of the lease agreement. If a party gets out of hand and loud, destructive, or illegal activity is taking place, it’s imperative that you act on it promptly and hold your renters accountable.
The good news is that you don’t have to do all of this on your own. At Real Property Management Metro West-Worcester, we will ensure that your lease documents include specific and binding language while monitoring activity, watching for those things that may not comply. Please contact us online or by phone at 508-329-6000 to learn more about what we can do for you.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
