If you have blinds or curtains in your rental property, the hanging cords or chains may represent a safety hazard you aren’t aware of. Blind and curtain cords present a serious risk to small children. The problem is that the cords can create a loop that can lead to strangulation. In fact, 18 children have died this way over the last two decades.
This is just not a risk worth taking, a fact supported by new legislation put in place to reduce the risk of injury or death due to blind and curtain cords. The new rules say that blind cords and chains cannot be closer than 1.6m to the floor—or that they must be secured by a safety device designed for this purpose.
If the blinds in your rental property were made prior to 2004, they may have cords that are not compliant with new safety laws. In particular, vertical blinds may have chains that fall all the way to the base of the blinds, a clear danger to curious toddlers. Removing such cords can eliminate this risk and bring your rental property to compliance with the new laws.
Another option is to cut looped cords and replace the ends with tassels—it’s the loop that presents the real danger. You can also purchase cleats or tensioning devices at your local hardware store, a small price to pay for the removal of a major safety risk inside your property. Better yet, replace older blinds with new models that operate without any exposed cords or chains at all- and get a tax deduction!
Ensuring your rental property is up-to-date with the latest safety regulations regarding blinds and curtains protects your youngest tenants from harm and yourself from liability should a tenant or one of their guests become injured in your building.
Read an article on: “Is Your Rental Property Safe? New Legislation for Blinds and Curtains“
