10 Tenant Safety Measures for Property Managers

Ensuring tenant safety is crucial in multi-family rental properties and apartment complexes. Keeping residents safe not only protects them but also builds trust and satisfaction in the community. Here are some common strategies property managers can take to lower risks and help tenants feel more at home in their communities.

As a property manager or owner, you’re responsible for more than just a building; you’re caring for people’s homes. Providing a safe and secure environment is crucial not only for your residents’ peace of mind but also for your property’s reputation, tenant retention, and overall profitability.

So it makes sense that tenant safety leads to tenant longevity. In other words, when tenants feel safe, they tend to stay. Of course, as a property manager, that’s what you want. You show an apartment. Someone signs a lease. They pay their rent month after month.

But when tenants don’t feel safe, they tend to move out more, some units stay empty, and you might end up renting to people you usually wouldn’t. This can happen no matter what the crime stats say in your area.

That’s because safety is a feeling. Sometimes it’s based on logical evidence — like apartment break-ins or assaults. But it’s often based on the presence (or absence) of security measures that lead to a feeling of “my property manager has my back.”

Plus, property managers and owners can be held legally responsible for damages resulting from crimes committed on the premises — so you have a legal responsibility to provide a safe environment for tenants.

Read on to learn more about required safety measures all apartment complexes and rental properties must have, and the top tenant safety and security improvements to help tenants feel safe.

FREE DOWNLOAD: The Ultimate Guide to Multi-Family Security for Property Managers & OwnersA

It’s crucial for property managers to prioritize tenant security.Title

It might be obvious, but we’ll say it anyway: Multifamily residential securityA measures do a lot more than just create a feeling of safety. They also reduce theft, vandalism, assaults, accidents, and other illegal activity. Not only does that help tenants stay safe — it also helps keep your insurance premiums lower.

There are also numerous state laws that require landlords to provide a “habitable condition” for their tenants. For example, in PennsylvaniaA, broken door locks and windows are specifically listed as examples of “uninhabitable conditions.” Additionally, some locations require certain safety measures like deadbolt door locks. It’s a good idea to have them in place to avoid any potential legal issues down the line.

Similarly, according to the “reasonable careA” standard, property owners must exercise the same degree of caution or concern for others that an ordinarily prudent rational person would use in the same circumstances.

Put another way, tenants have a right to expect a reasonable amount of safety and security when they are on your property. If property managers and owners don’t provide a reasonable level of care, they could end up legally responsible for any damages caused by crimes happening on their property.

What security measures can property managers put in place to protect tenants in their apartments?Title

If you’re running a multifamily property, there are many required safety measures you need to have in place. Most of these are required regardless of location, but it’s always wise to check your local laws and building codes to make sure your property is in full compliance.

Here are some general safety requirements every property manager must implement:

• Install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Place fire extinguishers throughout the property and regularly rest them
• Ensure emergency contact information is readily available and tenants know what to do during an emergency
• Communicate clearly with tenants about any potential safety hazards in the building and the dates they will be addressed
• Promptly respond to maintenance requests
• Maintain and regularly inspect the HVAC system

On top of those tenant health and safety basics, there are other measures you might consider to keep your rental premises secure.

RELATED POST: Reasonable Care: What Property Managers Need to Know

The Top 10 Tenant Safety Measures

To keep your tenants healthy and safe, think about putting these tips into action.

#1. Install secure door and window locks.Title

According to the National Crime Prevention CouncilA, apartments are more likely to be targeted for break-ins if they seem easily accessible. That means rental units with weak door and window locks that can be easily jimmied are at risk.

To avoid this, outfit all windows with locks as well as access doors with:

• Primary locks with an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)A grade of 1 or 2. That means the lock is strong enough to withstand five or more serious blows.
• Secondary grade 1 reinforced deadbolt locks with bolts that are at least an inch long. These locks prevent criminals from prying open a door. If your tenants have attached garages, install deadbolts on the door that leads from the garage into the home.
• Door chains that allow a tenant to crack the door open if needed.

#2. Add heavy-duty doors.Title

Choose steel or solid-core wood for your unit doors. Also, include a peephole so tenants can see who’s outside before opening the door.

#3: Reinforce patio doors.Title

This is especially important for sliding glass doors, which can be pushed inward or lifted off their tracks. Consider adding:

• Rods that can be placed in the track, to stop the door from sliding.
• Locking pins in the overhead frame, to prevent intruders from lifting the door.

#4: Update keys from one tenant to the next.Title

After a tenant moves out, it’s not enough to ask them to return their keys. That’s because keys can easily be copied and distributed. Instead, you’ll want to ensure their existing keys no longer work on the door to their old apartment.

One way to do this is to change the locks from one tenant to the next. Another option is upgrading to one of the following types of locks.

• Easily rekeyed locks: Brands like Kwikset allow you to reset their locks by inserting a key and then using a tool to change the lock setting. This wipes the lock’s memory, so the old key no longer works, but the new key does.
• Keypad locks: Rather than a key, tenants use a code to get in. You can easily change the code from one tenant to the next.
• Landlord locks: These allow you to replace the cylinder between tenants.
• Digital locks: Tenants can unlock these with a smartphone, key fob, or keycard, and you can reset them from one tenant to the next.

#5. Secure all common areas.Title

Besides wanting to feel safe in their apartments, tenants also want to feel secure when they’re outside on the property. If possible, install safety fencing around outdoor areas, like swimming poolsA or courtyards. For multi-unit buildings, make sure to include security at the main ground-floor entrance.

#6: Limit the number of master keys.Title

Master keys are certainly convenient, but they can also be highly problematic.

Case in point: In 1989 a man broke into a unitA, kidnapped the two young women who lived there, and murdered them. He’d gained access from a master key he’d acquired when painting units in the apartment complex.

To prevent tragedies like this, you’ll want to ensure master keys are limited. Perform a background check on everyone who has access to one and regularly update them.

#7: Make sure your property has adequate lighting.Title

Lighting does a lot more than just deterring crime. It also boosts tenant safety in other ways. For instance, people are less likely to trip and fall if they can see the ground they’re walking on.

Install lighting in all common areas, including walkways, entrances, parking areas, elevators, hallways, stairways, laundry rooms, and storage areas.

#8: Maintain a clean, safe property.Title

How your property looks can massively affect how safe tenants feel.

Keep walkways free from debris. Ensure trash is picked up regularly and litter removed. Address vandalism right away, and regularly maintain equipment and lighting.

#9: Screen tenants and employees.Title

Perform background checks before signing leases with prospective tenants, as well as before hiring employees and contractors. This helps make sure you’re bringing reliable people into your property management setup. A solid screening process can spot any potential red flags, helping you make smart choices and maintain the safety and security of your properties.

#10: Add or upgrade your security system.Title

Buildings without security systems are more likely to be targeted for criminal acts. In a survey of 500 convicted burglars, 37% said the presence of a security camera would stop themA from attempting a break-in.

Newer cameras offer many features not available in traditional models. These include:

• High-definition color night vision that captures a clear picture in low and no-light environments.
• Artificial intelligence that can distinguish between human activity and non-threatening movement. When AI cameras detect a threat, they can stream the video feed to a human guard within seconds.
• 2-way audio that allows you (or a hired guard) to talk directly to the people on camera.
• Live security monitoringA so authorities are alerted, in seconds, to illegal activity.

Deep Sentinel offers all of this and more. Our AI-powered live surveillance system is one of the most sophisticated multifamily residential security solutionsA on the market today.

When compared to onsite security guardsA, monitored AI-assisted cameras are less costly, but just as effective. Even better, they provide tenants with that important sense of safety. For information about security cameras and monitoring for multifamily properties, call 833-692-3642A.