01 Jul Should you fit finger guards in your rental properties?
Our door finger guards are relied on by a long list of settings, from nurseries and schools to healthcare facilities. Their installation ensures everyone who uses the building receives the protection they deserve. Sustaining a hinge gap injury after all can be particularly traumatic, with the physical and psychological impact of finger entrapment felt not just during the short term but for the long term too.
Alongside the use of our protection devices within public and private settings, our Fingersafe Shield designs can be used a little closer to home. As a common home accident, preventing finger entrapment is a top priority for parents childproofing their homes. For those living in rental properties, the threat remains, making the installation of finger safety devices one of the most overlooked tasks for landlords. Here’s why you should move it to the top of your list as a UK landlord…
Prevent serious injuries amongst your tenants
Let’s start with an obvious benefit for landlords and their tenants – the prevention of serious injuries. Rather than being a rite of passage every individual goes through, finger trapping accidents can lead to painful injuries, fractures and even amputation, particularly among children. That’s where our door finger guards come in!
Our finger guards shield the dangerous hinge gap to prevent fingers (little and big) from being caught when doors close unexpectedly. It’s an added layer of protection for landlords renting to families as well as the people within, and actively improves household safety for all.
Fulfil your duty of care as a UK landlord
UK landlords have a long list of legal responsibilities to ensure the properties they rent out are safe and free from hazards. There are several pieces of legislation that stipulate a landlord’s duty of care, including the Housing Act 2004.
Under the Housing Act 2004, local authorities also play a role in assessing the safety of rental properties within their jurisdiction. They use a method called the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) to do just that as the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) details:
“HHSRS is a risk-based system rather than a set of prescriptive standards that landlords must adhere to. Instead, if a local authority inspects your property they will use HHSRS to identify potential hazards and then use a points-based system to assess their severity. If the points-based system reveals a Category 1 hazard the local authority is under an obligation to take action to address it. If the hazard is rated as a Category 2 hazard the local authority may take action instead.”
The HHSRS specifically considers ‘collision and entrapment’ risks when evaluating property safety, while the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires landlords to ensure rental homes are fit for human habitation throughout the tenancy. Installing preventative safety measures such as finger guards can help demonstrate your commitment to protecting tenants and making your rental property as safe as it should be.
Minimise costly liability risks and lawsuits
By failing to prevent finger entrapment with the use of door finger guards, you could be leaving yourself liable to potential legal claims. Tenants are savvier than ever, which means they know their rights when renting UK property inside out.
Whether you’re the landlord of a family rental, HMO (guards are essential within shared/communal areas in particular), social housing complex or childminding setting, the installation of door finger guards will reduce your exposure to negligence allegations. The low price of this key safety improvement is well worth paying considering the average cost of a finger entrapment legal claim in the UK.
Make your property stand out – for the right reasons!
Renting to families can be particularly lucrative for landlords in the UK. They’re a type of tenant that enjoys staying put, which means your property is more likely to stay occupied for the long haul. When on the lookout for a potential new home, families prioritise safety. Built-in features like door finger guards will make your property more appealing, especially if tenants have toddlers or young children.
Small safety upgrades really do matter every day – browse our finger protection devices to find a solution for your rental property.
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