Sometimes, landlords let their lack-luster leases get the better of them. Without having certain things clarified in writing between themselves and their tenants, simple disagreements can become big problems all because of miscommunication. As you get more landlord experience, those are the situations you’ll learn to avoid.
To deal with this situation and protect your property from any potential damage, it’s key to use a document like a satellite or cable TV addendum to cover all necessary information. With the help of our sample form, you can learn how to craft this addendum, protect your property, and make your tenant(s) happy all in one step!
A Table Of Contents For Satellite Dish Addendums
- How Does Cable And Satellite TV Work At Rentals?
- Why Is An Addendum Necessary?
- Should You Allow Renters To Have TV Installed?
- Satellite Or Cable TV Addendum Form: How To Write Yours
How Does Cable And Satellite TV Work At Rentals?
There are a number of different ways that cable TV and satellite TV will be set up at rentals. While all rental properties are likely to be wired for TV already, the specific wiring or agreements in place will depend on the landlord, the location, and the local providers.
Apartment Complexes & Buildings
In these larger, multi-unit buildings, the chances are high that the landlord will already have services set up with a local cable provider, and this fee is likely to be bundled into the tenant’s rent. If a tenant does not want to use that particular service, they can talk to the landlord about taking the fee out and paying for alternative arrangements.
Single-Family Homes
In single-family homes, many landlords will only set up the basic cable connection and will not have any type of contract in place with local providers. If the tenant wants to get TV at home, they will need to call the provider and have them do the setup.
If that setup costs anything, it will be up to the tenant to cover those costs. Additionally, the tenant will be responsible for letting the landlord know about this installation so that both parties can ensure no unnecessary damage is done to the property during installation.
Condos And Duplexes
These types of buildings can be handled like an apartment building or like a single-family home. Ultimately, it depends on the landlord and the building manager’s choices. There is no legal obligation for the landlord to provide pre-setup television. However, the FCC does require that tenants be allowed to set up TV within reasonable and acceptable criteria.
Why Is An Addendum Necessary?
If you are legally obligated to allow tenants to install some new television connection, you might be wondering why it is necessary to use a lease addendum in cases where a tenant wants to install TV, particularly in cases of satellite TV.
The simple fact is that installing a dish can cause a lot of damage to the property if it is not done properly. Even when done by a professional, dishes require holes to be drilled in both internal and external walls.
If the dish is later removed, those attachment areas will need to be repaired. Without an addendum, it might be hard to decide who is responsible for those costs.
Additionally, tenants that want to get a specific cable TV connection installed may also need additional wires or hardware put into the house. Sometimes, this means that internal walls will need to be opened and patched. While this can be allowed, the cost of repair is once again an issue.
Finally, there is the issue of uninstallation. If the tenant wants to take their cable equipment such as a dish or box with them when they move, you will be left with damage and no hookup to show for it. As such, it’s important to cover everything important in a lease addendum before the installation occurs.
Should You Allow Renters To Have TV Installed?
There is no question of whether or not you should allow renters to have TV installed; you are legally required to allow them to have some type of connection. While you can legally restrict some specifics of this connection, such as where any external satellite dishes are placed, you cannot restrict the ability to get TV.
Some reasonable restrictions that you can make include the following:
- You may designate a position in the apartment complex where dishes can be installed. You can also require that they do not hang over any common area.
- You may require that you be allowed to oversee all installations and give final approval about the location for any holes that need to be drilled.
- You may require that the renter have additional renter’s insurance if they are installing an external satellite dish.
Satellite dishes, in particular, can seem like a big deal to a landlord at first. As long as you are clear about what you will and will not allow, however, having your tenant install one does not need to be a difficult affair. After all, you would probably want to be able to watch TV on your own terms if you were staying there!
Satellite Or Cable TV Addendum Form: How To Write Yours
Now that you know more about why a satellite dish and antenna addendum might be necessary for your next rental lease, let’s talk about how you can write yours. Starting from scratch with an addendum that you’ve never used before is difficult, so we’ve provided a template for landlords to start with.
Here is our template:
| Satellite Or Cable TV Addendum Form |
You can see on the form that it doesn’t need to be very complicated. As with most addendums, the best way to convey information between you, the tenant, and the legal system is to be as clear and concise as possible. This form is a great example of that mentality.
When you’re writing your version or modifying this one for your needs, remember that you can add and take out parts as needed as long as you keep the overall addendum legally compliant for your state and/or local laws.
Now, let’s take a closer look!
Identifying Information
Our forms always start with the same basic identifying information:
- Date
- Property address
- Tenant names
This information is essential to keep the document’s purpose as well as applicable parties and properties at the forefront. Without this information, it could be confusing to someone reading the document to understand whom the addendum applies to and where.
Introductory Statement
The first two sentences of this document clarify what the addendum is for. They clearly state that the addendum is being written to allow the tenant to install specific satellite dishes and that there are a number of provisions that must be followed to allow that installation.
This is important to include that so that the addendum is easy to follow and understand.
Reasonable Restrictions List
In this next section, you will be able to list your reasonable restrictions for the dish installation. Our sample form includes many of the most common restrictions that landlords use when allowing tenants to install satellite, but these are not the only options that you have. Modify the list as needed
Our list includes the following restrictions:
- Number of dishes or antennas (should be clarified so that they can’t install more than necessary)
- Maximum satellite dish size (limited based on property type, location, and needs)
- Permissible locations (where it is approved to be installed)
- Installation must meet safety standards without interfering with neighbors
- Maintenance is fully the tenant’s responsibility
- Installation and repair costs fully the tenant’s responsibility
- Additional security deposit for potential damages to be collected
As you can see, covering all of these points gives both you and the tenant a good picture of what installing a satellite will cost both parties. It also protects you from the risk of future damages because the addendum provides for that situation. By filling it out thoroughly before any installation begins, all expectations between you and the tenant will be very clear.
Signatures
Finally, all adult tenants on the lease should sign the lease addendum with you. This lease addendum can be added to the primary rental lease at any time, but it should always be added before any installation of satellite or cable TV takes place.
Protect Your Property With Addendums
Some landlords find the endless list of possible lease addendums to be exhausting, but we know that these addendums are essentials tools for landlords to protect their properties. Without the proper information in writing and signed, it can be hard to make necessary repairs or court cases as needed.
Anytime that your tenant wants to have additional TV equipment installed, use a version of our satellite or cable TV addendum to ensure that your property is protected. It’s good to hope that nothing will go wrong, but it is better to be protected in the unfortunate case that it does.