Renting, instead of owning a home, is steadily on the increase. One of the advantages of renting is that major repairs are usually the responsibility of your landlord. But what about matters that don’t quite fall under your landlord’s definition of “major”? One of these might be quality of your bathing water. You know that getting shower head water filters can transform your showers into a much more pleasant experience, but do you have the legal right to install them in your rented bathroom?
Usually, Yes
Although you always need to check with your landlord for details, most landlords will let you do minor, non-permanent changes to your bathroom fixtures. And installing shower head water filters can definitely qualify as non-permanent changes. With many kinds of shower head water filters, you don’t even need to hire a plumber or bother your landlord in order to install them.
Shower head water filters have come a long way in the last decade. They used to be huge systems that looked a lot like small water heaters. But you don’t need those huge water filter systems any more to have a healthier and more pleasant shower. There are many kinds of shower head filters that just easily screw on to the existing shower head.
Your landlord won’t pay for the shower head water filter. However, most quality small filters that you would need are less than $50 (US), so you won’t risk not being able to pay the rent because you want a decent shower for a change.
Some kinds of shower head water filters have free trial periods of one or two months to see if there is a significant improvement in your showering experience. With a few minutes of online comparison shopping, you can find these companies easily.
When Your Water Needs Help
How do you know that your bathing water is not the healthiest for you and your family? It’s pretty easy to find out. And remember, just because you don’t drink this water, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t get into your body. Anything in that water gets into your body through your skin absorbing it.
When you try to take a shower:
o Does the water smell really bad?
o Can you not get a decent lather with your soap and shampoo?
o Does your skin itch or get red after your shower?
If any of these things happen, then you really should consider getting a shower head water filter.
You Never Know Until You Ask
It is always best to ask your landlord for permission to install a shower head water filter before you actually go ahead and do so. Some will ask that you take it off when you decide to leave the home. The shower head filters should come right off, making them easy to remove. And some landlords couldn’t care less!
But most landlords appreciate getting some sort of feedback about home improvement from their tenants, especially if you are willing to foot the bill for the water filter. It shows you respect the property you are renting.
