More and more, students want to mount TVs on their bedroom walls, and I'm thinking of a policy to address that.

Currently, after move out, my painter repairs the area where the TV mount was, and I subtract the cost ($50) from the security deposit. Pretty much handled the same as any other damage.

I rent "premium" off campus houses to students who generally take care of my properties and I'm thinking, maybe I should provide TV mounts in the bedrooms as an amenity? Problems I see with that are having the hardware to mount different TV sizes, and maybe liability if a TV falls on someone's head.

Any thoughts? Thanks! Bill

Do they tend to put it in the same place, over and over? (Like above the cable outlet)

Even if you don't provide the mount - although that may be a good idea - perhaps it would be wise to add some solid wood to mount to, WELL-secured to studs, and maybe a routed edge / finished to match the wall/ look good. Easier to screw to and not so much drywall repair.

Some great points!! Thank you. You all got me thinking I need to make new tenants aware of the cost and include in lease, something like: “wall repair for TV mounts typically $200”

Yeah MC, I was thinking that too: “If something happens to them or their TV, it is on you” And I think your right, there’s a good chance that people would want it in different locations.

That is a neat idea, DJ, a mounting surface. I use what you describe for mounting towel bars, as they are are 18” or 24” wide and the mounts don’t fall on studs. I think though, smaller TV mounts can be mounted on studs. And I’d imagine 40” is a typical bedroom size but I’m not sure all TV’s of similar sizes use the same bolt pattern, so I’d need to stock hardware.

LisaFL, you are right about the high turnover rates, and I do have that with students. Thanks!

I don't live in the same house my student tenants live in, so I can't stop them from doing anything, I can only incentivize doing the right thing (what I want them to do). There's no "reason" for them to mount TV's on the wall, but they want to and their willing to pay for the damage. I think I just need to set up the incentive structure, so I'm happy when they mount TV's on the wall. How about a $500 deduction from security, listed in the lease, when they mount TV's on the wall? I'd be happy then if they mounted tvs to a wall. I'd pay the painter $50 and keep the $450 net :-)

Or as WMH said, include in the lease: "TV mounted on the wall is PERMANENTLY fixed there - if they mount it they have to leave it"

I like the mounting surface idea...take a large piece of 1x material and mount it securely across two or more studs with lag screws...and let them use that. When/if it needs removed, you'll have 4 modest sized holes to fill.

As previously

LL provided mounts open conversations of liability for broken Tvs and injured people. And animals.

My applications ask if prospect will be mounting any Tvs to Walls and yes or no is a clause in lease.

If yes , tenant must leave mounting hardware as imbedded in the wall IN PLACE UPON VACATE. they can take the actual mountS surface mounted on the embedded hardware which they put into the wall..

If the remove the embedded hRdware ....leaving a hole or pat Che's,...$ 250.

Most DIY mounting systems use lead. Anchors or toggle bolts and tenants who spent 2 or 3 dollars for them,....may not be about to leave them for the rich LL.

OOOOOOOOOPPS,...."that's a pretty big hole.

OOOOOOOH WELLLLLLLL.

Hoosier, I do use something similar for mounting towel bars, but I just don’t see it for this. The tenant would be fastening to the 1 by mounting surface, so they would need to use screw lengths less than 1”, which I couldn’t rely on happening. Typically, a tv mount comes with screws, but they’re longer than 1”.

Dave’s idea is interesting, though I’m wondering if toggle bolts are re-useable and if the toggle bolt head diameter would cover the hole drilled in the wall. Also, the TV mount itself makes an imprint on the wall that I don't think can be cleaned off. How about a tall picture :-) Thanks!

A tenant in a house decided to install a large screen TV over the fireplace without my permission. The wall above the fireplace was 5/8" Fire-Core drywall with non-standard stud spacing. Their installer didn't have the right anchors and did a poor job on the install. They mounted the wall bracket to the drywall and not anchoring all of the bolts into studs and another part of the bracket to the TV. Then they hung the TV bracket to the Wall bracket and FORGOT to add bolt to hold them together. So the TV bracket was hanging onto the wall bracket. This TV setup was designed so someone could swing out the TV into other directions. But without the two parts of the bracket bolted together, the TV could fall.

I TOLD all of the occupants and tenants to NOT USE THE TV AND HAVE THE INSTALLE BOLT THE TWO BRACKETSS TOGETHER. They did not listen and just decided to not swing out the tv.

So they lied to me and said the TV was not bolted properly. The cleaning woman was dusting the tv, on a step stool and the tv came off of the bracket, fell to the floor and got smashed up. Also damaging my fireplace floor bricks.

The tenants only cared about their $2000 TV and not my property. They cancelled their renters insurance.

The worst is sometimes they had some siblings over with their children's, who could have been killed by a falling tv. Or the tenants two mini dogs too.

That's crazy not fastening the wall bracket to the TV bracket! That part of the job takes like a minute. I guess they didn't have the part and were planning to come back with it. But Jeeze, take the tv down! Thanks for sharing that. Sad how they seemed to care all about their busted TV and not your property.

That does touch on what I posted about: "Problems I see with that are having the hardware to mount different TV sizes". When you buy the mount, it comes with all kinds of hardware to accommodate different screw mounting patterns and also different screw diameters and lengths. And even then I've needed to go to HD to get spacers or different length screws.

Have you asked or figured out why the students are mounting on the walls?

Is the space too small for a TV floor console? Do they want the TV to tilt or swivel? Do they simply want it off the floor and out of the way?

Just went through this personally. Had to get a new TV for a STR. Old TV had a single middle stand and was stable sitting almost any surface. New TVs come with the legs spaced very far apart and would be stable only on a wide surfaced TV console. I figured out that I had to look at stand widths in product specifications. Stand widths for the sizes of TVs that I was looking at ranged from 27 to 32 inches.

My answwer to LTR tenants for hanging a TV mount on the wall would be no, but I would help them in their decision making with some options and suggestions:

- Unauthorized TV wall mount - $500 immediately due, not waiting until moveout (at least 2x the likely cost of a new TV console for most tenants)

- Get a new TV console (and maybe throw in a coupon to Wayfair or the like as an incentive)

- Get a new TV table top stand, with some shopping links to stands that have a weight limit of 4 to 7 lbs. The lighter ones usually have 2 legs for weight distribution. Maybe throw in an Amazon coupon or give them a partial rebate, if provided with proof of purchase.)

I would avoid recommending, or maybe even recommend against, the universal table top TV mount stands with the center stand in stock at the store at Walmart and Best Buy. These were extremely heavy, much heavier than the TV that I was purchasing. I was afraid that the stand alone mounts would be a tipping hazard.

I am debating adding to the list a freestandng TV stand. I suspect that they would have the same weight / tipping issues as the table top single stand mounts.

Since BillW has premium student rentals, he may want to look into providing a stylish free standing TV stand with a wall strap for stability. Depending upon the decor, small decorative wood blocks can be pre-installed mounted to studs for the anti-tip straps, maybe with decorative brass or stainless rings to look intentional in your space.

...Buying a replacement TV was so much more complicated than it should have been.

Thank you Sir Walter, for taking the time.

No I haven’t, but that’s a good idea and I should ask them next time I see them. I have mounted TVs on walls for a few reasons: 1) other than needing to position over studs, wall mounts give you vertical and horizontal flexibility, esp if you want to mount tv higher 2) takes up less depth than a stand. Maybe 5” vs 20”. 3) secure mounting vs sitting a tv on a stand. Of course stands have their advantages too.

How about just provide a TV and fasten it to the dresser?

I can get a Samsung 43” TV for $300. Assuming an 8-bedroom house that’s $2400. If I can raise the $6k rent by $200 a month, I’d break even in a year. Got me wondering what percent of students would like TV’s in their rooms?

Just to note it after what Robert said... Most proper TV mounts today do NOT have a bolt to connect the wall bracket to the TV bracket. So, I'm not sure what you are referring to unless this was a LONG time ago.

Most brackets today have a wall mount piece with a lip at the top and bottom. Then there is a piece that bolts to the TV that has "teeth" (or metal tabs) to grab at the top that are permanent -- and then moving tabs at the bottom the snap onto the wall bracket. They usually then have pull strings hanging down so that you can release it when needed. No bolts holding the two parts together -- they are designed to hold together without that.

Sorta Blonde and Barm, I think I missed your posts while I was writing mine. I like your thinking that “almost any hole can be patched and then deducted from the security deposit on move out” Right? Unless that hole is a wall that has been removed :-)

Barb that sounds awesome, an “entertainment box” with power, network access, along with a mount. I love that! Seems like the tough part would be finding the best location for the box. I mean, do you guess where their bed will be and put it at the end of that? Do you figure the TV height assuming a person sitting in bed? When you say network access, I’m assuming you mean an ethernet jack, is that correct? Just one? Interesting stuff! Thank you.

6x6, then how do I claim the TV is mine? Maybe chain it to the wall?

I learn so much from this forum. I did not know that an "entertainment box" was effectively a recessed outlet box for entertainment components until this thread. I never even thought about them until this thread. Probably because they are usually out of sight behind a big TV.

I know a couple who repeatedly debated about hanging the TV on the wall. One wanted it hung above the fireplace. The other said it would be too high and cause neck and headaches. One was tall. The other was shorter. Several online sources say to hang the TV at eye level when watching. I usually see them mounted higher than that.

Another friend loves to rearrange furniture every few months. Her TV has been against every wall of any room it has been relocated to.

We just mounted two 75" TVs side-by-side in our living room a couple months ago. Mostly for 2-player co-op gaming so that we each have a full TV. It's awesome. :)

We also have one in our bedroom, but we rarely use it. But I had an extra TV (that was actually free), so I put it in there. :)

-John

Wow that is some set up!

I'm still trying to upgrade my 50", but my wife is not having it until it breaks beyond repair.

John, 2 75" tv's? Holy cow! I guess you really like tech.

I don't think there is a wall big enough in my house for 1, let alone 2.

Reminds me of something years ago. I had a girlfriend, who had a friend that she had met in an AA meeting or rehab of some sort. Not sure how I ended up dating this girl. Anyway, my girlfriend wanted to go see this friend of hers, who had just gotten out of rehab. She lived a few counties away. Turns out, this friend was rich as her family owns a few car dealerships. Myself and my girlfriend, poor as church mouse. My girlfriend and I made a trip to go see this friend. I thought I was going to go bankrupt paying for gas. We stopped by her(friends) dad's Chevrolet dealership to get directions to their house. It was going to be a few hours before this friend would be home, so we drove around the area for a little while. I had to stop and get gas and ended up running into a guy there with a hot rod and we went to a place to drag race. That was fun, stupid, but fun. After a while we went to the friend's house ( her dad's) and met her there. I was embarrassed and blown away at the same time. They lived on the lake, had an indoor pool and outdoor pool, their own gymnasium, arcade room, wet bar, ect.... The living room was as big or bigger then my whole house. This was back before HD TV. They had a TV that took up one whole wall of this huge room. I had never seen a TV so big in my life. I had never been inside of a house that big in my life, come to think of it. Did I mention that my girlfriend's friend was a knockout? Hot and rich! We went swimming too. I was broke when I got back home, well, before I left home really, but that was a trip worth making.

That's a good story 6x6. I'll bet when you went swimming with the knockout you weren't thinking about the big TV :-)

Interesting though, in a giant house on the lake, with amenities out the wazoo, they were still watching tv like the rest of us, except on a much bigger screen.

BillW: The funny thing about the wife situation is that when we first got a big screen TV -- I think it was 57" -- my wife thought it was weird and huge and such. But we had it for a while until it finally died. When looking for a new one, I found a good deal on a 55" TV -- but when we went to look at it in the store, my wife was like "Well, we can't go to a SMALLER TV!" :) We ended up getting 70". We used it for split-screen gaming where we were both on the one screen. But, a new game that we like came out that has problems with split-screen gaming. So we decided to get TWO TVs so that we could still game together, but on separate screens so that we wouldn't have the issues any more.

I suggested a pair of 65" TVs in the living room -- we'd have just enough room to stack them. But, again, she didn't want to go a smaller TV -- so we had to go to a pair of 75" (because the ones we wanted didn't come in a 70"). And then had to put them side-by-side instead (which ended up being a much better solution anyhow).

Point is: my wife certainly changed her mind about it over time. :)

-John...

6x6: They just barely fit on our living room wall. My house certainly isn't that big. We bought it 20+ years ago long before we were making real money. But we like it, so we've kept it.

We're hoping to do some remodeling finally -- need a new roof, windows, repaint the siding, and add some stone accenting or something. Still waiting for construction costs to come down some more... :)

-John...

Well jeeze then, we'll have to get your wife with mine, to change her mind.

My wife was just talking about loving two monitors for work. Maybe I can parley that into two monitors for me :-)

She wasn't a big gamer or anything before. I mean, we grew up in the 80s -- so her and her sisters had an Atari 2600. That sort of thing.

The game that made it was Halo 2 on Xbox. We can play co-op on the campaign. That is pretty much the only thing we play -- campaign co-op games where we can work together to go through the campaign.

So, it was Halo for a while -- until MS stopped making campaign co-op along the way. Then we found a game called Borderlands and THAT is now pretty much it for us. We played 1, 2, 3, and the latest spin-off (Wonderlands). We love them. Wonderlands is the game that we bought the TVs in anticipation for. And it has been great!

Now, we go through phases... We'll play the heck out of a game and then might not even turn on the Xboxes for 4 months. Then some update or something makes us go back to it for a while. Just depends.

Right now, we're binging through Star Trek Discovery episodes. :)

-John...