What Every Apartment Building Landlord Needs To Know About Dumpsters
Posted on: 1 December 2016
Dumpsters are ideal for apartment buildings and complexes because they consolidate all the garbage into one receptacle. However, they can pose risks that can be costly. Here are a few important things to be aware of regarding dumpsters on your rental property.
Dumpster diving
Dumpster diving is a way for some people to search for food and/or other things they find appealing. However, for property owners, dumpster diving can result in personal injury lawsuit cases in dumpster divers get injured. Also, there's no doubt that some of your tenants may be leery to use the dumpsters for refuse if they are concerned about finding someone inside the dumpster when they go to throw away garbage. This could result in the tenants keeping their trash in their rental units, which could lead to rodent and bug infestation. Prevent dumpster diving by non-residents by installing a fence with a lockable gate.
Identity theft
There's also a concern about identity theft, should a dumpster diver or tenant come across financial statements and documents. To prevent dumpster diving by non-residents, a fence with a lockable gate will work. To reduce your tenants' risks of having their identity stolen, keep a shredder in your office for tenants to use in case they need to shred sensitive documents before placing them into the dumpster.
Non-resident dumping ground
With costs of garbage disposal some people are unable to pay for service, so they find dumpsters in various locations to dump their garbage into. People who are not residents of your apartment units may be using your dumpsters, which could add to your costs, especially if you are billed according to weight. Surround the dumpsters with a fence and secure the gate with a lock.
Unauthorized usage by residents
Sometimes, residents of apartment complexes who may also own businesses and will use the apartment's dumpsters to throw away their trash from their business locations, which can be concerning if the items are prohibited by your dumpster service, such as paint or pesticides. Be sure to specifically state in your tenant lease agreements that only residential refuse will be thrown into the dumpsters.
If you believe the dumpsters are being used improperly, ask your dumpster rental service to conduct a waste management analysis. They will sort through the trash and determine if there is any unauthorized usage. For example, a drywall contractor may be using the apartment dumpsters to dispose of drywall and other building materials.
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