Tip of the Month - July, 2017
Satellite Dishes & Antennas
Source: Every Landlord’s Legal Guide 13 th Edition
Marcia Stewart, Ralph Warner J.D.;Attorney Janet Portman
Basically,
the FCC prohibits landlords from imposing restrictions that
unreasonable impair your tenant’s abilities to install, maintain, or
use an antenna or dish that meet criteria. For details on the FCC’s
rule on satellite dishes and antennas.
www.fcc.gov/guides-dishes/installing-consumer-owned-antennas-and-satellite-dishes
OR call-
FCC (toll free; 888-TELL-FCC for TTY)
Tenants may place antennas or dishes only in their own, exclusive
rented space, such as inside the rental unit or on a balcony, terrace,
deck or patio. The device must be wholly within the rented space
(if it overhangs the balcony, you may prohibit that placement).
Also, you may prohibit tenants from drilling through exterior walls,
even if that wall is also part of their rented space.
Tenants cannot place their reception devices in common areas, such as
roofs, hallways, walkways, or the exterior walls of the building.
Exterior windows are no different from exterior walls-for this reason,
placing a dish or antenna on a window by means of a series of suction
cups is impermissible under the FCC rule (obviously, such an
installation is unsafe). Tenants who rent single-family homes,
however, may install devices in the home itself or on patios, yards,
gardens or similar areas.
Landlords are free to set restrictions on how the devices are
installed, as long as the restrictions are not unreasonably expensive,
or if the restrictions are imposed for safety reasons, or, if your
property qualifies, to preserve historic aspects of the
structure. You cannot insist that your maintenance
personnell (or professional installers) do