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Ghosts, goblins and witches, oh my! Halloween is a fun-filled night for kids, complete with costumes, excitement and too much candy. Unfortunately, it’s also a night with more accidents and mischief. Due to the higher number of people circulating through apartment buildings on this holiday, there is more potential for problems than usual. What can you do as an apartment building manager to keep the night fun and safe for everyone?
Liability is a scary word on any night of the year. With Halloween fast approaching, it’s time to plan ahead. Take a few moments today to ensure your apartment complex is safe and ready for trick-or-treaters. Here are our favorite Halloween tips for apartment building managers.
Do a Walk-Through
Schedule a complete walk-through of your apartment building and grounds a few days before Halloween. Inside, inspect every hallway, stairwell and common area. Look for potential problems such as loose railings, burnt light bulbs, garbage or loose carpets. If your building has security cameras, make sure they are in good working order.
Outside, look for tripping hazards such as loose pathway stones or hoses left out on the lawn. Ensure sidewalks are well lit. Pick up and dispose of anything that could be thrown at the building, such as rocks or debris. Check that all entrance doors shut and lock properly.
Have a Trick-or-Treating Policy
Are trick-or-treaters allowed to go door-to-door? Will candy only be handed-out in the lobby? Establish in advance how Halloween will be celebrated in your apartment building and inform your tenants. Post signs in the lobby and on entrance doors stating where kids may trick-or-treat. Include a start and end time so everyone knows what to expect.
Consider having tenants sign-up if they wish to hand out candy and encourage them to decorate their apartment door. A list of participating apartments can then be handed out to trick-or-treaters.
As an alternative, encourage residents to dress up and bring their candy to a common area for a community Halloween party. Volunteers can hand out chocolates while oohing and aahing over all the cute costumes, perhaps with contests, drinks for the adults, etc to add a community-building element.
Have Extra Staff On Hand
Consider having extra staff on the premises Halloween night. To limit visitors, managers could place a security guard in the lobby handing out treats on behalf of the building residents, rather than allowing entry. This allows neighbors to feel welcome while keeping the building secure.
If trick-or-treating is allowed in the building, have staff circulate the hallways and stairwells throughout the evening. Also have them check all common areas, such as laundry rooms, storage rooms and garbage chutes. Having a visible staff presence in the building can discourage mischief such as graffiti and toilet-papered trees.
Remind Tenants of Halloween Safety Tips
To keep everyone safe, remind tenants of some basic safety tips, such as:
- Glow stick or Halloween lights are best in jack-o-lanterns. If your lease agreement prohibits burning candles, it’s a good time to remind residents of this rule.
- Pets and Halloween don’t mix well. Costumes and loud noises can scare dogs, making them more likely to bite. Pets should be secured inside apartments, away from trick-or-treaters.
- If away on Halloween night, keep all apartment doors and windows locked and lights off.
- Don’t let children trick-or-treat alone. Have them go out in a group if they are old enough or have an adult accompany them.
- Make sure all costumes are safe. Use masks that allow clear breathing and vision, or better yet use make-up instead. Avoid costumes that drag on the ground since they could get caught in elevator doors and escalators.
- All candy should be inspected before eating. Never allow children to eat opened candy or unsealed items (such as apples) from strangers.
- Don’t allow strangers inside rental units, even on Halloween.
Halloween night can be quite hectic. By being proactive, you could avoid many would-be problems. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” Although he surely wasn’t referring to Halloween-proofing an apartment building, it still rings true here.
How is Halloween celebrated in your apartment complex? Is trick-or-treating allowed? Do you have a great tip to share for a safe, spooktacular Halloween?
Related Reading:
Is It Legal for Landlords to Install Video Surveillance Around Rental Properties?
How the Crime-Free Association Helps Property Managers Lower On-Site Crimes by 75%
