Recent posts
Mind, Body & Soul
Understanding Cannabis in Modern Wellness
12 December 2024
nichemarket Advice
How AI Search Engines Will Monetise
09 December 2024
Money Talks
How To Buy ICANN Domains With Crypto
03 December 2024
Money Talks
How to Improve Your Decision-Making Skills as a Prop Firm Trader
02 December 2024
Popular posts
Extravaganza
Trending Music Hashtags To Get Your Posts Noticed
24 August 2018
Geek Chic
How To Fix iPhone/iPad Only Charging In Certain Positions
05 July 2020
Extravaganza
Trending Wedding Hashtags To Get Your Posts Noticed
18 September 2018
Money Talks
How To Find Coupons & Vouchers Online In South Africa
28 March 2019
Why Landlords Should Child-proof Their Investment Properties
17 July 2020 | 0 comments | Posted by Luke Fitzpatrick in Parental Guidance
A report from the World Health Organization previously stated that about 2,270 children around the world die every day as a result of an unintentional injury. Rather worryingly, a sizable chunk of these injuries ranges from drowning to choking and falls and are injuries that occur in these children's own homes or backyards.
If you're a homeowner that's looking to lease out your property to a family, an important thing to know is that keeping their children safe is a priority for any family. As a landlord, it's your responsibility to not just focus on the functional features, but also the safety features. Providing a property that's free from hazards will increase your pool of prospective tenants and attract those with young children. It'll also help in reducing the likelihood that you'll be held legally liable if anyone injures themselves on the property.
Below are some of the most common ways that children can have serious injuries or fatalities at home, and some tips in helping you with child-proofing your properties.
Falling from heights
One of the most common causes of injuries or fatalities in children are falls from balconies or windows. If your property has a balcony, you should have a balustrade that runs vertically so it cannot be climbed, or it should be positioned close enough so that there's no chance that children will slip through. All windows should also be fitted with heavy-duty fly screens that'll be able to resist the weight of a child and stop them from falling through.
As a landlord, you should also check that your balcony isn't leaking and that it's properly waterproofed. Leaks can have devastating consequences to the structure, and could potentially cause harm or injury to children. There are a couple of things to look for when it comes to balconies, including weak structural joints, water stains on the underside, and more. To minimize such incidents from happening, consider waterproofing your home, including the walls as excess moisture can cause havoc.
Stairs can also cause serious injuries to children – especially if they fall from the top of the stairs. To ensure safety, you should allow tenants with children to install child-proof gates just in case. After all, the legal experts at Shuman Legal told us that tenants who are hurt by accident on a landlord's property typically have the option to file a personal injury claim for compensation, which could include medical expenses or loss of income, and amount to a hefty sum.
Drowning
While having a swimming pool in your backyard is great and can provide hours of fun, they're also where drownings take place. Hence, you must have all pools fenced and fitted with child-proof locks for extra precautions. You should also consider leaving out water features such as fish ponds as they can also pose dangers to children.
Strangulation
Another common cause is strangulation, and items such as curtains, blinds cords, and pulleys can cause a serious risk to children. While the safety guidelines differ from country to country, there's no harm in ensuring that the corded windows installed in the home pose no safety risks to occupants. It's always best to check the guidelines and try not to attempt to remove the window coverings on your own or to replace them with newer units.
Safety is priority
As a landlord, your tenant's safety should be your number one priority. While having some aesthetic features is nice, you should always have safety at the back of your mind. To be prepared, however, you can also get a specialized form of insurance that can cover you for the risks that are associated with owning an investment property. An example of this is a legal liability that may be able to cover for expenses incurred if a lawsuit happens to arise from an occupant suffering injuries, damage, or loss at the property due to your negligence.
Preferably, you want to make sure that you never find yourself in a situation where you may have to use this particular form of insurance. Instead, spend your time focusing on making your property a place that's comfortable and well-suited for families with children.
That way, you can be confident that if a family is interested in your property, you've taken all the precautions and sufficiently child-proofed the home enough to give them a peace of mind.
Tell us your story
Would you like to write for nichemarket just like Luke has? Find out how to submit a guest post and when you're ready, you can contact us.
Are you looking to promote your business?
South African childcare businesses can create your free business listing on nichemarket. The more information you provide about your business, the easier it will be for your customers to find you online.
Registering with nichemarket is easy; all you will need to do is head over to our sign up form and follow the instructions. If you require a more detailed guide on how to create your profile or your listing, then we highly recommend you check out the following articles.
Recommended reading
If you enjoyed this post and have time to spare why not check out these related posts and dive deeper down the rabbit hole that is parenting.
- Why New South African Parents Should Consider Insurance
- All You Need To Know About South African Paternity Leave
- Breastfeeding and Expressing at Work in South Africa
- Trending hashtags for Mom and Baby
Tags: Home Ownership, Guest Post
You might also like
6 Essential Home Maintenance Tips
25 November 2024
Posted by Che Kohler in Constructive Criticism
Learn crucial home maintenance tasks to protect your investment, prevent costly repairs, and keep your home in top condition all year round. Expert t...
Read more48 Black Friday Software Deals 2024
10 November 2024
Posted by Che Kohler in Shopaholics
We put together a comprehensive list of software and digital business offering Black Friday discounts on their subscriptions or digital products this...
Read more{{comment.sUserName}}
{{comment.iDayLastEdit}} day ago
{{comment.iDayLastEdit}} days ago