Can Renters Install Child Safety Locks? Here’s What to Do First
If you are expecting or raising children while living in a rented home, you might have some questions about the steps you can take to do some baby or childproofing for their safety. There are several considerations you’ll need to make before you start installing things, and you can learn more about these steps below.
Ask Your Landlord (and Get it in Writing)
If you have a fairly good relationship with your landlord, then the processes involved in finding out whether you can install child safety locks are relatively simple. All you have to do is ask the property owner if you can install them and then get their agreement in writing. As long as they’ve agreed, and as long as you don’t damage the home during the installation, you are covered. In some cases, your landlord may request that a professional install the child lock system to reduce the risk of damages, and In other cases, your landlord may ask that you sign a paper saying you will be responsible for any and all damages that occur as a result of the installation of the system. Be sure to anticipate this.
Check Your State’s Laws
In almost every state, property owners who choose to rent their property to others are protected by a series of laws. In most of those states, tenants are forbidden from making any alterations to the property without the explicit written permission of the landlord. However, there may be a few exceptions to this rule, especially when it comes to the safety of children. In some states, parents who have autistic children have the right to install child door locks on their exterior doors with or without the landlord’s permission as long as the lock is installed in such a way that it doesn’t damage the property. Check the laws in your state to learn more.
Understand the Child Safety Lock’s Mechanism
There are many different types of child safety locks out there. Some are simply plastic pieces that clamp into place over doorknobs, and because these don’t require any actual “installation”, absolutely any tenant can install them. With Kidzlock child safety locks, however, the installation requires drilling into the door and the door frame, which might sound scary to a landlord. However, when the magnetic knobs are removed from the door and the Kidz Bolts are in place inside the door itself, the mechanism is not visible and there is no actual damage done to the door or the frame. Before you buy, make sure you understand the installation process.
Share the Installation Videos with the Property Owner
It’s true that Kidzlock child safety locks are a little different from many of the other options out there; most require adding external hardware to both the door and the door frame. Kidzlock is different in that there is no permanently visible hardware. Many renters have found that sharing the Kidzlock installation videos with their landlords was all it took to get their permission, as well. The property owner can see firsthand that the system will not decrease the property value or cause any damage that might make the property undesirable in the future.
Ultimately, in most cases, whether or not you can install a semi-permanent child safety lock in a rented home will be left to the property owner’s discretion. Most families find that arming themselves with information about the system and asking their landlord ahead of time worked well, and today, they are enjoying the peace of mind that these child safety locks provide them.
