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If I was a landlord, I'd prefer that tenants learn to use a garbage disposal as opposed to not having one. People will throw stuff down the drain, disposal or not, that should not be in there. At least if they use a disposal there is a chance it won't clog the drains.
I would never live without one. One my caveat's when we purchased a house on septic was that we had to find a way to have a garbage disposal. We bought a high quality one that has caused zero problems with septic.
It depends on what broke it. If the tenant sticks something in that will break it, tenant pays. If it just wears out or burns out I (LL) pay.
In RL I prefer to lightly load my GD and put bigger chunks in the trash. For scraping food off plates after dinner the GD is better.
I see no need to grind up the bones of a totally depleted chicken in a GD, that goes in the kitchen trash.
Whatever is easier is where it goes. And I got no prob reaching in to grab something that is borking it up, as long as the switch is off. Don't like it but I don't like unstopping toilets either. Part of the price to have your own place.
What I really HATE is when a drinking glass breaks in the sink and some goes down the GD. I reach in and pick out the big pieces but some always remain. There's no way to get rid of them except to tough it out, just run the GD intermittently and grit your teeth to the noise. It will eventually go away.
Really worst case, most DIY people can easily replace a GD or get the home improvement store to do the dirty deed.
A tenant has asked me for one and I am concerned about the safety aspect for children, and noxious fumes. Needing others' opinions, thanks!
Noxious fumes?
A small child would have to be in the sink to be able to reach down a garbage disposal, and older kids will no boy to stick their hands in it while its on.
If your tenants are American, they most likely know how to safely use a garbage disposal. Just leave them the manual, and maybe remind them that certain foods are better left in the garbage.
A properly installed GD does not create noxious fumes or odor unless you let food sit and rot in it.
If this happens just turn on the water and GD and let it run for a minute or so. Never let un-ground food sit in your GD more than a few minutes. Better to always have it on and water running when you are feeding garbage into it.
What kind of idiot would stick their hand in a running GD? Also note that children that small should have trouble even reaching the sink.
I question the 50% statistic. Every rental we have has one. Every house I have ever lived in has had one, including my el-cheapo apartment. Even the kitchen in my dorm room in college had one. I would say that in my area, that number is probably 90%+. Maybe there is some part of the US where they are really rare, and that is bringing down the average? I'd be surprised if it was less then 75%, though.
The only reason not to have one is the maintenance. People who don't know not to put grease or potato peels or celery etc down them. Give them an instruction manual (or even a list off Google of things not to run through).
On a scale of 1-100 of things I worry about in my daily life, where 100 is the worst, they are maybe a .5%, and on the same scale as a landlord, they rate maybe a 2%, because of maintenance and leaks.
As as landlord, are you comfortable with your tenants having a garbage disposal unit in their sink? I realize these are common in the US, 50% of households have them as opposed to 5% Canadian households.
A tenant has asked me for one and I am concerned about the safety aspect for children, and noxious fumes. Needing others' opinions, thanks!
In a similar situation in the past, I did a full Reno on a rental house (new kitchen, both baths, flooring, etc). Didn't install a disposal on the advice of the landlords on fatwallet. (Nothing but problems). Tenants asked for a disposal after renting for one year & I agreed. Tenant was advised thoroughly about how to use it, and how to clear jams. Burned up one disposal in 6 months & had a couple of service calls for jambs, even though the procedure for clearing jams was explained. This wasn't a cheesy $69 disposal, we're talking the kind that'll eat any silverware that gets dropped in it.
Absolutely would not install one in a rental again & tough noogies if tenants don't like it. It's not worth the hassle & I don't need more break-able things in my house.
I have never had one, but that's because most of the houses I have lived in have had septic systems. Despite what they say, garbage disposals and septic systems are not a good idea. The only thing going into a septic system should be human waste and toilet paper.
Since I've never had one, I don't know what I'm missing, right? I don't see what is so hard about scraping the plates into the garbage.
Garbage disposals last a decade if you don't mistreat them. And any DIY can replace one in a couple hours max.
And a tenant can smoke one in just a couple of months if they're careless, even a top quality one. There's no benefit to the landlord in this case, and a real downside. Why go there?
Great replies, really appreciate them, thanks!! Tenant just called me. She said she has changed her mind, she doesn't want one any more. Her reason? lol. None of the above. She doesn't want to lose the space in the small under-sink cabinet!
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